Social workers forced to 'ration' care amid lack of community resources
Hundreds of social workers in a Scotland-wide survey said they simply do not have adequate resouces to do their jobs
Social workers are being forced to “ration” care because of a lack of adequate services, a survey of the profession has found.
Staff say care needs are increasingly dictated by the resources available rather than the support people actually need.
The Scotland-wide stocktake comes amid growing concerns about the future of health and social care integration.
George Hannah, SASW Policy Advisor, said the pressure on resources can lead to “life-changing consequences”.
Mr Hannah said: “At present, assessments are shaped by eligibility criteria and available resources, rather than the individual's full needs.
"The idea that a surgeon would use fewer stitches to make treatment quicker because there are more patients would rightly be seen as absurd.
“Yet social workers are routinely expected to ration care and support in exactly this way.
“This can lead to similarly life-changing consequences.”
Social workers have called for a fundamental change to how care needs are recorded.
More than half of respondents - 51.9 per cent - said social workers should assess need independently of available resources, with any shortfall in provision formally recorded as unmet need.
The Beyond the Red Lines report details how social workers are increasingly frustrated by a system in which professional assessments risk being shaped by what councils and services can afford rather than the circumstances of the people seeking help.
The findings raise questions about how effectively Scotland's public services can deliver care at a time of continuing pressure on frontline provision.
It also exposes tensions over the integration of health and social care with concerns raised that social work is being overshadowed by the priorities of the NHS.
Some called explicitly for social care not to be brought under NHS control, while others argued that social work had become the "poor distant cousin" within integrated arrangements.
”Social workers from across the country responded to our consultation on public service reform, and their message was clear,” Mr Hannah added.
“They want to be trusted to use their professional expertise to assess what people need, report those needs honestly, and work with employers to meet them wherever possible.
“When they can't provide support, they want to record it as an unmet need.
"For the vast majority of social workers, this would represent a fundamental shift.”
Social workers also warned that prevention is being undermined by a lack of investment in community-based services, family support, housing, mental health provision and early intervention.
They argue frontline services are increasingly responding to crises that could have been avoided if help had been available earlier.
Professionals want a stronger role in leadership, governance and strategic decision-making, the survey also found.
The report comes as SASW launches a further programme of engagement to gather social workers' views on proposals to bring adult social care services into the NHS.
It aims to examine accountability, governance, leadership and the future influence of social work within integrated systems.
The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.
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