Online Newsroom |
 |
General Assembly 2008: National leaders on dementia
care
CrossReach further expands
its wide range of expertise and services
CrossReach has continued to develop expertise and service
across a wide spectrum of social care including children,
adult and older people.
This includes innovative and award recognised work
across addictions, mental health, criminal justice and
other aspects of social need provided in over 80 services
across Scotland, many of which have received Charter
Mark or other accreditation in the last year.
The General Assembly will hear that CrossReach has
also continued to cement its position as one of Scotland's
leading experts in dementia care.
The Kirk's Social Care council will tell the Assembly
that it now has six specialist units across the country,
and is looking forward to the opening of a new state
of the art facility at Rubislaw, Aberdeen, next year.
In the report, CrossReach attributes part of its success
to forming excellent working partnerships with others:
"Good relationships with
local authorities, with other churches and faith groups,
as well as positive engagement in the political arena
all continue to be vital to the ongoing work of the
Council." (p.3, para 4)
The organisation was also pleased to report on its
inaugural dementia care conference in Glasgow, and that
the work of CrossReach's dementia research officer had
been acknowledged by Stirling Dementia Centre.
But the Council dismissed speculation that care homes
were being shut for asset stripping purposes:
"Despite the discourse
which held that the Church was closing many of its care
homes, the reality is that the number of units is now
rising and what is being put in place is providing higher
standards of accommodation and safety than ever before.
(p.5, para 2)
"We will seek to generate
surplus where possible to re-invest in new social activity
or to assist those service areas which are struggling
to meet their financial targets but which remain within
the strategic plan." (p.34 para 5)
The organisation has had to adjust its strategic aims
with the introduction of the National Care Contract
by local authorities. This meant that for CrossReach
to be eligible for the agreed funding rate, it had to
meet staff qualification targets. Whilst the report
was pleased to note that over 40% of care workers for
Older People Services had attained the required SVQ
3 level certificate (or appropriate accreditation),
there was some concern about these members of staff
then finding alternative employment elsewhere:
"The risk generated is
that of staff leaving for better remunerated positions
within the statutory or private sectors. CrossReach
strives to remain an employer of choice but struggles
to meet the challenge of salary levels offered elsewhere."(p.10,
para 5)
That said, CrossReach was very optimistic about its
long term prospects:
"[We] continue to be excited
about the future of social care within the Church of
Scotland and look forward to another year where 'in
Christ's name' we will continue to make a difference
in the lives of many." (p.3, para 8)
Ends.
Note to Editors:
1. For more information, please contact Gordon Bell at
the Church of Scotland Media Relations
Unit in the first instance. Telephone 0131 240
2204.
A full copy of the report is available on our General
Assembly pages online
here.
GANR/11/04/2008
Tuesday 13, May 2008
[Current news releases page]
[top of page]
|
