Scotland has been making headlines again for all the right reasons – this time with the introduction of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Bill.
This legislation says health boards and care providers must adhere to appropriate staffing levels to ensure safety for both workers and service users.
Or as Health Secretary Jeane Freeman put it: “It will ensure the right people with the right skills are in the right place at the right time.”
Sounds right on to us!
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Let’s take a look at the new bill and discover how it will help shape social services in Scotland.
Why?
It’s no secret the NHS and care providers across the whole of the UK are under pressure to provide the best care to patients despite facing challenging workloads.
This new legislation aims to give stronger powers when it comes to staff planning, including using live data to coordinate an effective workforce.
Managing and maintaining appropriate staffing levels should lead to better care for patients – and better working conditions for all of the NHS and social care staff across the country.
How?
Every health board, associated agency and care provider should now ensure there are adequate numbers of appropriately qualified and trained staff working in their organisation. This can relate to clinical and non-clinical employees.
To achieve this, all staff will be encouraged to give their views on staffing arrangements, caps will be imposed on the amount spent on costly agency workers, and frontline senior charge nurses will be given increased responsibility when it comes to coordinating safer care.
This should also ensure more public money is funneled directly into public services.
Who?
Well, everyone working in health and social care!
This includes registered nurses who are an integral part of the care home sector. As well as providing top clinical care to service users, nurses in a care home setting typically work with long-term residents, so it’s vital they can implement personalised care plans and forge strong bonds with their patients.
Care assistants, meanwhile, may be non-clinical staff but they are the backbone of the care sector, assisting residents in their daily lives. This can be anything from helping to perform basic tasks to providing emotional support.
Similarly, for the nursing or care home manager, who is responsible for ensuring their organisation runs smoothly, organising staff and maintaining morale is a key part of the job.
With the new legislation expected to be rolled out over the coming months there’s never been a better time to find a new career in the Social Services/Housing sector. You can find the latest vacancies on s1jobs.