Coronavirus (COVID-19) - dementia and COVID-19: action plan

Supporting a skilled and knowledgeable workforce and service modernisation

"The epidemic has really highlighted what a huge debt we owe to paid workers in the care sector"

"Care home staff deserve a medal after all this. I know I can trust them to look after my mum even though I can only see her outside"

• Behind all of this work is the primacy of valuing, supporting and enhancing the skills and knowledge of the dementia workforce across health and social services and in all care settings. This national work sits alongside the Scottish Government's ongoing commitment to service improvement, modernisation and innovation – in all areas including primary and community care, care homes and hospital and specialist dementia NHS in-patient care. We will support and enhance this work as we continue to respond to the challenges of the pandemic.

Trauma-informed workforce

• The Scottish Government's ambition, shared with COSLA and many other key partners, is for a trauma-informed workforce and services across Scotland.
• Our goal is to transform how we understand and respond to trauma and adversity in Scotland, where people experience empathy and respect rather than shame or stigma, and are empowered to access the services or support they need to help their own unique journey of recovery. We also know this pandemic has increased and exacerbated both the risk and the impact of trauma, with people with dementia and their carers an important group to be considered.
• Since 2018, the Scottish Government has invested over £1.5 million in a National Trauma Training Programme (NTTP), led by NHS Education for Scotland (NES) and informed by people with lived experience of trauma. Our Mental Health Transition and Recovery Plan (October 2020) committed to expand the NTTP for a further two years (to 2023) in recognition of the need for a long term, trauma informed response to recovery from COVID-19. This training programme provides a suite of high quality, evidence-based, freely available trauma training resources, developed by NES, to support all sectors of the workforce in taking a 'trauma-informed lens' to their policies and practice.

Commitment 19: We will continue to fund and support our national dementia workforce development and service improvement programmes – Promoting Excellence and Connecting People, Connecting Support and Healthcare Improvement Scotland's Focus on Dementia programme - as they support staff and services to respond and adapt to COVID-19.

Commitment 20 : In 2020/21 we will continue to prioritise trauma training support for the Health and Social Care workforce, including staff who support people with dementia and their carers.