Almost 10,000 Scots are waiting for help from carers to allow them to live independently.
New figures released today from Public Health Scotland shows 6,160 people are currently waiting for a care assessment while another 3,147 are already assessed and waiting for care at home services.
While many may be looked after by family at home while the care kicks in, many more are stuck in hospital. Their delayed discharge is causing bed shortages in hospitals which, in turn, causes queues at A & E departments and increased waiting times for planned treatments.
Jackie Baillie, Scottish Labour’s Spokesperson for Social Care, said: “That nearly 10,000 Scots are in this precarious limbo is a tragedy.”
She continued: “Whether stuck for weeks in a hospital bed or suffering in silence at home, these are people who still have fulfilling years ahead of them but only if they get the support they need.
“This SNP government must speed up assessments and ensure those identified as needing care receive it as soon as possible.
“A Scottish Labour government will tackle social care, improving staffing and prioritising timely interventions so that our most vulnerable can thrive.”
Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton called the figures “highly worrying”.
He said: “It is concerning that a large number of these people will be patients who are currently stuck in hospital, well enough to come home but too frail to do so without a care package.
“And this is causing interruption and flow through the whole of the NHS.”
Don’t miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond – Sign up to our daily newsletter here.