Charity chief calls for radical changes to support Scotland’s carers

Published: 24 March 2011

Life should not be a battle for people with long term conditions and their families in Scotland, says a leading charity
campaigner.

‘Working in partnership with families to design their own supports from services will boost their quality of life and save
public money in hard times, Ian Welsh, Chief Executive of the Long Term Conditions Alliance Scotland, told an international conference audience in Glasgow today [Thursday, March 24 2011]

‘With falling public funds, the focus must remain on people and families staying well and being able to manage long term conditions effectively. It’s time to recognize that individuals and communities are part of the solution, working with people rather than viewing them as passive recipients of services, and empowering people to control their future.’

Mr Welsh said that over the next 15 years Scotland’s public services will need to cope with additional demands in health, social care and justice alone amounting to more than £27 billion. ‘This is due in particular to an ageing society and the prevalence of long-term conditions. No matter what the result of the election, the need will be greater, not less.’

He pointed to considerable progress in partnership working between many voluntary sector services and people with long term health conditions in Scotland and hoped for similar radical culture shifts in public services. ’We need a culture that supports people, and their carers, to be in charge of decisions about their health and wellbeing. Services must work together with people with long term conditions and their families.’

Ian Welsh was speaking at the start of a 2 day international conference, ‘Family perspectives on illness and multi stress challenges – facilitating resilience and growth out of illness, crisis, trauma and loss,’.

Kathleen Van de Vijver, chair of conference hosts AFT Scotland, said: ‘Illness affects families not just individuals. Supports that recognise and respond to family as well as individual needs can help transform people’s quality of life. This is a very real issue for Scotland, where more than 2 million people are affected by long term physical and mental health conditions. If the political will is there, we can change how services engage with and support families to better futures. This can transform lives and makes economic sense, so let’s get on and do it.’

Download 'Charity chief calls for radical changes to support Scotland’s carers' press release (PDF)

Notes to editors

• Information and interview requests to AFT Scotland Chair Kathleen Van de Vijver, tel 01414203161; vice chair Liz Forbat, tel 07801 090950 or email AFT Scotland
• AFT is the Association for Family Therapy and Systemic Practice, the UK’s leading organisation for professionals working therapeutically with families.
• ‘Family perspectives on illness and multi stress challenges – facilitating resilience and growth out of illness, crisis, trauma and loss,’ 24 and 25 March 2011, The Royal College of Physicians, Queen Street, Edinburgh
• Long-Term Conditions Alliance Scotland is an independent charity supported by a Scottish Government grant. It brings together voluntary and community organisations across Scotland to ensure the voice of people living
  with long term conditions is heard.