Growth and development.pdf

Eilean SiarEilean Siar has a high rate of social work staff, particularly frontline staff, mainly home carers,although the number reduced between 1999 and 2000. In 2001, There were no vacant posts.The Council has not encountered the same acute problems as other authorities, but they havehad difficulties in recruiting to specific posts, and experienced pressure on home care posts. Ashift to annualised hours will make the Council competitive with other available jobs. Improvedtraining for residential care staff has enhanced staff morale and service standards.Despite the huge financial and personal premium on off-islands training, the Council hasmaintained its commitment to training and workforce development. SVQs have been usedextensively, because they can be delivered without recourse to the mainland.A supervision contract deployed in fieldwork services has been welcomed and extended to theresidential sector which received Investors in People status some 18 months ago. Technologicalsolutions to training needs are particularly attractive.7. Modernising servicesThe majority Gaelic-speaking population has cultural traditions which are reflected strongly inboth public services and community life. There is also a small Asian community. By spring 2002a race equality plan had yet to be started. The Council has an equal opportunities policy but hasnot embraced race equality as a significant theme. It does not deal with the very significantproblems that are being faced elsewhere, although people do have a strong sense of culturaldifferences.The Council was an early beneficiary of upgraded telecommunications in the 90s. This allowedthe development of technologies such as video conferencing and alarm systems. All socialworkers have mobile phones. The council has no existing Modernising Government projects,but has a current bid submitted to the MGF for the development of electronic monitoring ofhome-based care.The introduction of client information systems remains at an early stage. The home care serviceapart, managers have not considered it a priority, given the number of service users. The socialwork department is exploring an off-the-shelf system for children and criminal justice services.8. The FutureIn addressing the future growth in numbers of older people, the Council recognises the needto consider urgently greater emphasis on community-based support and improvements in theflexibility and quality of the home care service. In drawing resource priorities in the future,development of services will need to assess the pressure of rising costs, against its presenthigh expenditure on community care per head of population.109