The Scottish Office: And Other Scottish Government Departments by David Milne

Author:David Milne [Milne, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Intergovernmental Organizations, Scotland, Great Britain, Europe, National, Comparative Politics, Political Science, American Government, History
ISBN: 9781000451115
Google: dpFDEAAAQBAJ
Goodreads: 57632811
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2021-10-12T00:00:00+00:00

THE NEW WELFARE SERVICES—GENERAL

It is a cardinal principle of all the welfare work done under the Act of 1948—and in this it is probably safe to say that there is no great difference of opinion between the political parties—that as far as possible old folk and the severely disabled, whether they are blind, deaf or crippled, should be encouraged and helped to take a normal part in the life of the community, and to live independent lives in their own homes if they can. The Department’s rdle in this work is naturally enough an indirect one—to encourage the local authorities to use their various statutory powers and to try to ensure that the forces of the various voluntary organisations interested in old people are deployed as effectively as possible. As the department responsible for the National Health Service in Scotland, the Department of Health fosters the development of services, such as home nursing, home helps and so on, which assist old and handicapped people in their own homes. Sometimes the very people who need services of this kind do not know that they exist. The family doctor will often be the first person to learn of the social as well as of the medical problems of these people, and the Department has therefore asked all general practitioners to find out what particular services are available in their district and to see that they are used. Unsuitable housing may also contribute to the difficulties of old people who are trying to remain in their own homes—an old lady may be struggling to keep up a house that is far too large for her, while near by a large family are crammed uncomfortably into one they have outgrown. Because of the high proportion of old one- and two-roomed houses in Scotland, local authorities over the last 35 years have concentrated very largely on the provision of family houses of three, four and five rooms. The Department, exercising its responsibilities for housing, has, in recent years, suggested to local authorities that they should try to provide a proportion of small houses for old people and other small households. Local authorities often find that the building of small houses of this type releases larger under-occupied houses for those who need them.

Voluntary organisations do a great deal to help old people who are living alone in their own homes; they arrange for friendly visits to be paid, organise concerts and outings and do many other things of that kind. A central body called the Scottish Old People’s Welfare Committee co-ordinates through local committees the activities of the various bodies in each district and the Department works in close cooperation with it and gives an annual Exchequer grant towards the cost of its headquarters expenses. Some of the bigger organisations (e.g. Women’s Voluntary Services and the British Red Cross Society) have specialised in particular services such as the provision of meals and chiropody services for old people living at home.

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