Eilean Dubh care home tea party welcomes politicians to chew over pressing issue
RESIDENTS and staff at a Black Isle care home relished the opportunity to discuss their concerns and hopes for the future of the sector when some politicians came calling at the weekend.
The visit to Eilean Dubh care home in Fortrose by the Lib-Dem politicians came on the back of a hard-hitting report laying bare significant challenges for the sector, compiled by Inverness, Skye and West Ross- MP Angus MacDonald.
Mr MacDonald was accompanied by Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey MP and the party’s Scottish leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP.
The report highlights major challenges, including an ageing population, workforce shortages and a lack of care home capacity in rural areas. Mr MacDonald’s report calls for urgent action to tackle the growing crisis in social care - including ambitions for four new care homes in the Highlands.
Sir Ed and his colleagues arrived during a busy fundraising morning at the home in support of Eilean Dubh’s charity partner, Highland Hospice. Residents, staff and members of the local community came together to raise £600 for the charity.
Eilean Dubh manager Alexis Le Neven said: "It was a real pleasure to welcome Sir Ed Davey and his colleagues to Eilean Dubh. Our residents and staff really enjoyed the chance to speak with him, and it gave us a valuable opportunity to highlight the vital role care homes play in small Highland communities like Fortrose.”
Ron Taylor, managing director of Parklands Care Homes, added: "The launch of Angus MacDonald’s report comes at a pivotal moment for the social care sector, which continues to face a relentless series of challenges — not least this month’s crippling rise in employer National Insurance contributions. We welcomed the opportunity to voice our concerns and highlight the pressures facing the sector. It’s vital that we continue to work together to address these issues and improve care for people in our communities."
