Crisis in health and social care takes heavy toll on unpaid carers, says charity

Unpaid carers in Scotland are having to endure “shocking” levels of poor health propping up a system that is in “crisis”, according to a leading national charity.

The declaration comes as a report setting out the results of a survey of more than 1,700 unpaid workers shows a majority have experienced deteriorating physical health due to their roles.

Carers Scotland carried out its annual State of Caring survey between and June and August this year, and found 54% of carers said their physical health had suffered as a result of their work.

It also revealed 20% of carers have suffered a physical injury from their role, 37% of carers on care allowance said their mental health is bad or very bad, and 36% reported having thoughts related to self-harm or suicide.

The survey further found 35% of carers have not had a break in the past year, 30% have been waiting more than a year for specialist NHS treatment, and 24% have had to stop or reduce the amount of work they do because of their mental health.

It is estimated there are around 800,000 people providing unpaid care in Scotland at the moment, and it would cost around £13 billion every year to pay someone else to complete the work they do.

Carers Scotland’s report said its survey demonstrates the “ongoing struggle” carers face accessing the services and support they need to provide care both for others and themselves, including the need to take regular breaks from caring.

It said: “We do not shy away from using the term ‘health and social care crisis’ in this report.

“Despite their huge contribution to the Scottish economy, to our communities and to the lives of the people they care for, carers are facing deteriorating physical and mental health, loneliness and isolation with too many driven to despair and denied access to the very support they need to maintain a healthy life.

“The findings in this report paint a stark picture of carers buckling under the strain of propping up a health and social care system that is under severe pressure.

“This pressure in the delivery of public sector services has meant that carers have been left to carry a growing burden of significant care – where social care cannot provide a service, it is unpaid carers who are expected to step in, where the NHS needs a ‘bed’ it is carers who are left to support discharge.

“At the same time, carers’ physical and mental health continues to deteriorate, often significantly whilst they have little time, money or energy to be able to maintain their own health and wellbeing.

“Rightly, the Government has recognised the need to bring down NHS waiting lists and improve access to health services, including crucial mental health services.

“However, dedicated funding and planning is urgently needed to ensure that carers can access the health services they need and support for caring from social care services to prevent the shocking levels of poor health they are experiencing.

“Quite simply, action is needed, and it is needed now.”

Scottish Labour health spokeswoman Dame Jackie Baillie said: “This landmark report lays bare the shocking state of the care sector in SNP Scotland.

“The findings are utterly harrowing – too many unpaid carers feel unsupported and are at their wits’ end, resulting in serious physical and mental health consequences, whilst staff feel undervalued and unprotected.

“Unpaid carers really are unsung heroes, but they have been badly let down by this SNP Government that is presiding over worrying levels of unmet need and a care sector workforce crisis.

“That’s why Scottish Labour will continue to fight for proper reform of the care sector in the interests of unpaid carers, staff and service users – including a commitment to provide access to a minimum of two weeks respite care, and a clear path to £15 an hour for care workers.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat deputy leader Wendy Chamberlain said: “Carers are the backbone of our society, but, as this report makes clear, all too often they are undervalued and overstretched.

“Far too many unpaid carers lack the support they desperately need. Struggling to balance caring responsibilities and work can take a heavy toll on their physical and mental wellbeing, with many being forced to leave their jobs. Although it is eventually being replaced in Scotland, the current carer’s allowance is a cliff edge – the Government must look at reforming it urgently.

“I believe my Carer’s Leave Act, which comes into effect next year, will kick-start a transformation by making unpaid carers entitled for the first time to take additional unpaid leave from work to help balance caring responsibilities. However, this is just the first step on the long road to ensuring that the hard work of those who care is properly valued by society.”

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “We fully recognise the vital contribution that unpaid carers make to our communities and that they have to deal with these responsibilities on top of other pressures. To help manage this, every area in Scotland must have a local carer strategy and all carers have a right to a personalised plan to identify their needs for support.

“We’re also investing £88 million a year in local carer support through local authority Carers Act funding. This includes local responsibilities to have a dedicated information and advice service in every area to help people understand their rights and the support available locally.

“Our national marketing campaign helped more people recognise when they are in a caring role and how to access support and we have also funded NHS Education for Scotland to develop training modules for the health and social care workforce, to help them to identify, include and support unpaid carers. We expect those to be launched by the end of 2023.”