SNP want more care at home but numbers fall by more than 3,000 since 2007

Mary Scanlon MSP, Scottish Conservative Health Spokesperson, has received a Parliamentary response which shows the number of people cared for in their own home fell by 3,041 during the term of the first SNP government.

Mary Scanlon MSP said:

"Despite the 14% increase in the number over 75s in Scotland between 1999 and 2009 the number of people cared for at home is declining.

"The benefits to older people being cared in their own homes are clear. From allowing them to stay in their own surroundings or being close to friends and family, these are just two examples of how their health care can be enhanced by being cared for at home.

"It is therefore disappointing that despite the SNP rhetoric to prioritise support for people to stay at home as long as it is appropriate, during their last term in office they failed to do this.

"The SNP must match their warm words with action and I hope the government will outline how they plan to ensure the maximum number of people suitable to be cared for in their own homes, are cared for in this way."

• Below is the question Mary submitted and the response she received

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party): To ask the Scottish Executive how many older people received care in their own homes in each of the last five years.

Ms Nicola Sturgeon :

The following table provides information on the number of people aged 65 and over who received care at home services provided or purchased by local authorities in each of the last five years. Care at home includes both personal and non-personal care services.

Year Clients

2010 53,660

2009 54,718

2008 55,338

2007 56,701

2006 57,187

• Below is an extract from the official report of Nicola Sturgeon's speech in Parliament last week

The role that people themselves are required to play is vital. We must mobilise and enable people to play a full part in their own care, which will ensure that they stay healthy at home and in a community setting for as long as possible.

To turn that into reality, we need to embrace the following action. We need a shared understanding with everyone who is involved in delivering healthcare that sets out the support, involvement and reward that they should expect, alongside their commitment to strong, visible and effective engagement that ensures shared ownership of the challenges and solutions.

We need to develop a shared understanding with the public that sets out the high-quality healthcare that they should expect, alongside their shared responsibility for prevention, anticipation, self-management and the appropriate use of planned and emergency health services. The Patient Rights (Scotland) Act 2011, which was passed in the Parliament's previous session, will help us to achieve that.

We need to secure integrated working between health and social care services and more effective working with other agencies and with the voluntary sector. We need to prioritise preventative spend such as support for parenting and for the early years.

We need to prioritise support for people to stay at home as long as that is appropriate and avoid unplanned admission to hospital. We need to ensure that people are admitted to hospital only when they cannot be treated in the community. When people require hospital treatment, it should be done as a day case when possible.

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