COVID-19

With a national lockdown in place throughout January and winter generally being a tougher time for people, It’s OK to not feel yourself right now. The Scottish Government’s Clear Your Head Campaign encourages you to be kind to yourself by making the most of daylight and connecting with nature to get through to brighter days […]

Expansion of testing to adult care at home (Adult Day Centres/services; Sheltered Housing and Multiple Occupancies; Personal Assistants; wider Care at Home staff) To support the expansion of testing to the above staff and settings, the Scottish Government has arranged a number of online workshops for providers and staff in the sector. These will provide […]

New Vaccination Update from 1 January 2021: Including Priority Groups The Chief Medical Officer for Scotland has issued an updated letter about the arrangements being made for the COVID-19 vaccination programme. The letter focuses on: the timescale for second doses of the vaccine; a phased approach to vaccinations; further information and resources for staff, carer […]

The Scottish Government has launched a new Carers’ Wellbeing campaign to encourage carers across Scotland to seek the emotional and practical support that will help them look after themselves. Recent polling undertaken by YouGov indicates that an additional 392,000 people in Scotland have taken up caring roles during the pandemic. This takes the total potential […]

New publication from In Control on COVID-19 Protection Levels The Scottish Government has introduced a new system of local protection levels from 0 – 4 around Covid-19. In Control Scotland have produced an Easy Read document to explain these levels in a way that is easier to understand about what you can do and what […]

We know that self-isolation is very important in stopping the spread of coronavirus. We also know that self-isolation can take its toll on our physical and mental health. That’s why making a plan for self-isolation is also very important. Signs of coronavirus are a cough, high temperature or loss/change of taste or smell. If you […]

Covid-19 has affected us all in many different ways, and our wellbeing is now more important than ever. That’s why we’ve partnered with national, local and professional bodies who have a shared passion for looking after the emotional and psychological wellbeing of our country’s health, and social services workers, to create Scotland’s National Wellbeing Hub […]

Self Directed Support Scotland is pleased to share that the Scottish Government’s recently announced Face Covering Exemption Card has been launched today, 29 October 2020. We know that many people, even though they are exempt from wearing a mask in public, feel anxious or stressed when in public places due to being questioned or judged […]

Guidance designed to support safe re-opening and delivery of building-based day services for adults The Scottish Government has issued Guidance to support the safe reopening of Day Services for Adults. There is an expectation that each service will need to undertake a risk assessment, put appropriate safety measures in place and ensure clear communication with […]

The Scottish Human Rights Commission has published research demonstrating that “a considerable proportion of people who use social care support at home have experienced either a reduction or complete withdrawal of support during the COVID-19 pandemic.” The new report details how the removal of care plans during COVID-19 has had a direct and detrimental effect […]