Decision on stairlift provision is deferred

Plans to bring South Lanarkshire’s stairlift provision more into line with the rest of Scotland were deferred by councillors.

The current arrangement for provision was described as“out of kilter”with the rest of the country and officers wanted the council to look at a policy with a more“person centred” approach.

Had the paper been approved, South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnership would have been instructed to develop a stairlift provision policy and“funding options” for provision and maintenance would have been reviewed.

However, Clydesdale East councillor Eric Holford was concerned that introducing more charges would be “just another hurdle”for some older people and disabled people, adding that it wasn’t good“if a penny-pinching Tory is against it”.

Councillor Holford - who is a wheelchair user - felt that introducing a means-tested policy could impact people who were“comfortably well off” before they needed a stairlift and “might not be afterwards”.

He said:“Just because we are out of kilter, doesn’t mean we are wrong.”

Marianne Hayward, head of health and social care, told South Lanarkshire Council’s social work committee on Wednesday, August 19, that the region had a“higher level of stairlift provision than other local authorities”.

She said:“The creation of a stairlift policy would allow for any assessment decisions to be more equitable, fair and transparent.

“Learning will be taken from other council areas to support the development of local guidance and protocols for stairlift provision.

“Some local authorities utilise grant funding for owner occupiers which often means the homeowner pays 20 per cent of the cost.

“In South Lanarkshire, around 75 per cent of new stairlifts are provided to owner occupiers, so savings could be significant.

“Historically, a £60 annual charge for stairlift maintenance was approved as policy by the social work resources committee in 2011.

“This was never implemented but could be considered as a possible means of additional income generation.

“There will be a full consultation into charging policy before going forward.”

Deputy leader of the Labour group, Councillor Gerry Convery (East Kilbride Central North) said he had“dealt with a lot of chairlift situations”.

He added:“They pay their taxes all their life. That is enough.

“They shouldn’t have the peril of having to scrape together the money for a stairlift.I’m very proud that we are out of kilter.”

Councillor Catherine McClymont (Clydesdale North) moved that the item be deferred as it came across as a potential cut and should be heard as“a budget item”.

Chairman of the committee Councillor John Bradley (Cambuslang

West) reassured councillors that the review would not be about“denying” but instead ensuring residents were helped appropriately.

Cambuslang West councillor Margaret B. Walker said that“alarm bells are ringing in my head”with regards to hospital admissions and delayed discharge.

She added:“One of the biggest reasons for admissions of elderly people is falls.

“This is not something we should be advancing.”