Number of Scots waiting on social care highest since 2023

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today urged the SNP government to do much more to tackle the social care crisis as new figures revealed that the number of people waiting on social care assessments and care at home packages is the highest since the spring of 2023.

Figures from Public Health Scotland published today reveal that as at 8th September:

• There were 10,897 people waiting on social care assessments and care at home packages- the highest number of people waiting since April 2023.
• Of them, 7,762 people were estimated to be waiting on a social care assessment for a care package to enable them to live independently at home or in the community- an almost 25% increase on the number of people waiting at the same time last year.
• The remaining number, 3,135, were assessed and were waiting for a care at home package.

Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

“Due to the failures of this SNP government, more and more people are stuck in hospital waiting for care packages and assessments when they want to be getting on with their lives.

“You can’t fix the NHS unless you fix care because the more patients are delayed in leaving hospital, the longer people wait at A&E and the longer ambulances wait outside the front door.

“Only Scottish Liberal Democrats are focused on repairing the crisis in social care and unpicking the damage done by the SNP. We secured millions more through our budget negotiations on care and this is money which can start unpicking years of damage caused by the SNP. Whilst this money can be beneficial for the care sector, what is really needed is a change of government.”