Health concerns

That even an SNP MSP, Christine Grahame, has publicly raised concerns about the Health and Social Care Partnership’s model’s ability to improve health and social care (The Scotsman, 6 October) surely speaks volumes?

That it is failing in many cases to address bed-blocking is serious enough, but my concerns are about the vortex of failures across the entire sector. The more general care crisis arises from paid carers being asked to do more complex tasks in a profession that was always undervalued and underpaid.

Statutory assessments and duties are being neglected due to cuts and changes in social work provision and a widespread “fire-fighting” approach based on an authority-imposed “priority” system.

This system allows local authorities to simply ignore statutory duties based on what they decide are priorities, with no sanctions for failing affected groups.

Our local health care forum has become marginalised for seeking clarification as to exactly how this apparent channel for the public to contribute to our HSCP development lets the public voice be heard, and while our integrated joint board ignores our pleas, Shona Robison directs us to vague and ambiguous policy documents.

Meanwhile, a new lexicon of acronyms provides a smokescreen to rearranging the deckchairs under the guise of attractive-sounding initiatives that will never bring improvements where cuts in budget are the root cause.

A sorry and costly mess indeed! DUNCAN F MACGILLIVRAY

Victoria Road, Dunoon