Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser
Appreciation shown to commitment of carers
Carers across Lanarkshire have been thanked for their help in looking after family and friends during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The chief officers of Lanarkshire’s respective Health and Social Care Partnerships praised carers for their commitment and dedication in helping where possible with a loved one’s care.
This has been necessary in order to protect under pressure care at home services.
The objective has been to minimise potential exposure to coronavirus for service users and staff while focusing on Lanarkshire’s most vulnerable residents.
Ross Mcguffie, chief officer for Health & Social Care North Lanarkshire (HSCNL), highlighted the pressures both care at home services have faced – and underlined how valued the help has been from carers.
He said: “It goes without saying that this has been a very unusual year which has placed many, many demands on us all.
“This year more than any other, our partnerships with people in both our communities have been crucial during the ongoing unprecedented demand on our workforces.
“The contributions of our carers, paid and unpaid, has been phenomenal and been a massive help for staff of both partnerships.
“As a result, we have been able to target our resources on helping our most medically unwell and vulnerable residents.
“Families, loved ones, friends and carers have been magnificent and it’s important they understand just how grateful we are for their assistance and compassion. Thank you.”
Val de Souza, chief officer for South Lanarkshire Health & Social Care Partnership (SLHSCP), added: “We have faced significant challenges since the onset of this pandemic.
“These led to both partnerships prioritising care at home services for the most vulnerable in our communities.
“At all times our overriding objective is about protecting and saving lives. We are hugely grateful for the support we have received from our communities and carers.
“It has been a time of great uncertainty and the commitment and flexibility shown by carers has been – and continues to be – very much valued as I know the pressure a great many of them have been under.
“It is vital that carers and those delivering care make sure they look after themselves and remain safe at all times. I’d urge all of those providing care to remember FACTS in order to cut down on any potential infection.”
A simple to follow checklist has been developed to ensure people can safely help loved ones: DO make sure you’re well before lending assistance, especially to an older person; DO self-isolate if you’re experiencing any symptoms of coronavirus and look after yourself; DO consider others in your family or neighbourhood network who could offer help if you’re self-isolating; and DO phone a member of your care team immediately if you or a family member is in receipt of care at home services and have symptoms.
This latter option allows the service to take steps to protect the health of its workforce, and helps to reduce the potential spread of the virus to other service users.