Coronavirus in Edinburgh: Carers needed to look after most vulnerable

One in five Royal Blind staff off work

A care worker encourages a Jenny's Well care home resident to stretch her arms. Photo: Royal Blind

A MASSIVE recruitment drive of carers is underway to look after some of the Capital’s most vulnerable during the coronavirus crisis.

Loanhead-based agency The Social Care Community Partnership described the demand as “unprecedented” as it hires social workers, hostel staff and care home employees.

And charity Royal Blind reported one in five of its staff either in self-isolation or lockdown at home because they fall into the most at risk group of severe illness.

Director of services for Royal Blind Hawys Kilday said: “Our care staff are working incredibly hard in challenging circumstances to keep our residential and nursing care services operating.

“Care staff play a key role in supporting service users with their individual care needs and are vital to running our services for people with sight loss of all ages.”

The charity, which runs three centres in the Capital including the Morningside school, have 31 staff in self-isolation.

And a further 16 of its 235-strong workforce have been told to stay at home as they have underlying health conditions that put them most at risk.

“Our care staff are working with our other colleagues to keep our residents entertained and happy in the best way that they can in the circumstances, finding creative ways to ensure they can keep in touch with loved ones remotely and stay busy throughout the day,” added Ms Kilday.

“We’re recruiting temporary care staff to these crucial roles to continue providing essential care to our service users, many of whom have complex medical needs as well as sight loss.”

The Social Care Community Partnership agency provides social care and health workers to local authorities, health boards and care homes.

Across Scotland, 14 of its 559 staff are self-isolating - three of whom are based in the Lothians.

The agency is currently recruiting social work assistants and young person's homelessness hostel workers.

Also available are roles as residential child care officers, care at home workers, support workers for elderly people's homes and sheltered accommodation officers.

“Our main challenge right now is staffing the NHS and the care homes where the need for staff is in very high demand,” said Managing director Maureen O’Neill.

“We are working closely with our clients at this time to manage staffing expectations for the next three months with continuity of care at the core.

“We are running continuous recruitment at present everywhere including the Lothians for all social care staff including carers and nurses who are in short supply.”