Carers need respite
The Scottish Parliament is in recess and I’ve enjoyed a break with the family in our old (but dry) caravan, putting phone and emails second for a change.
While on holiday we parked up next to a nice guy who was taking a break for a week. Sadly his wife wasn’t with him as she suffered from dementia, having been diagnosed early at the age of 60. As her full-time carer he had been offered a week respite through a charity and was clearly benefiting from a little release and some extra sleep.
It’s odd that 70 years after the creation of the National Health Service, we have come to expect that medical care will be free at the point of need funded through national taxation, yet social care is increasingly paid for by charging individuals and families affected.
Around 77,000 people aged 65 and over, who suffer from illnesses such as dementia and Parkinson’s, benefit from free personal care but many others who deserve support lose out. The issue has been championed by Amanda Kopel, whose late husband, former Dundee United footballer Frank Kopel, suffered from dementia. Frank was eligible for just 19 days of free personal care before his death in April 2014, despite living with the illness for nearly six years. His family paid around £300 a week for him to be cared for at home following his diagnosis with dementia aged 59.
It’s clear we need more funding for carers’ breaks and for social care services. This year Green MSPs negotiated with the Scottish Government to put an extra £160 million into council budgets to invest in local services such as social care.
The Scottish Government is carrying out a feasibility study into extending free personal care, the consultation has just closed. Greens will be pushing government to go further on this.
Two other summer consultations have been on Green Party Members’ Bills. My proposed Safer Streets Bill consultation to make 20mph the default speed limit in residential and shopping streets across Scotland is open till September 15 at greens. scot/saferstreets.
I’ve had a largely positive response and it’s been interesting to hear of the challenges faced by communities locally and across Scotland in trying to get more 20mph speed limits.
I’m certainly not proposing a blanket 20mph limit and key roads through many towns and villages should stay at 30mph. There is a difference between the streets where we live, work, and play and the roads whose primary function is to connect communities. Speed reduction on our streets improve safety and create a better environment to walk and cycle.
The Equal Protection Bill is sponsored by my Green colleague John Finnie MSP and its aim is to give children the same legal protection from assault as adults. As the law currently stands those in charge of children can exercise the defence of “justifiable assault” when inflicting physical punishment on a child. The bill would remove this and bring Scotland in line with the vast majority of European countries and many others globally. The consultation has just closed but you can find out more here at johnfinnie.scot/ equal-protection. The legislative process is long and there will be other opportunities to input into both our proposed Bills in the year ahead.
You can get in touch with me via email mark.ruskell.msp@ parliament.scot or phone 01786 448203.
I’m also holding a coffee morning together with Green Party councillor Alasdair Tollemache at the Allan Centre, Bridge of Allan, on Saturday, August 19 from 10am-noon. All welcome.
It’s clear we need more funding for carers’ breaks and for social care services