Note of Meeting
Independent Living Fund Scotland:
Scottish Recipient Advisory Group Meeting
Zoom Meeting
Monday 21 February 1-3 p.m.
Present:
Jim Elder-Woodward
Chloe Mckee
Gordon Mckee
Andy Higgins
Kate Walsh
Joan Turner
Hugh John-Glancy
Nic Reid
In Attendance:
Peter Scott
Lee House
Linda Scott
Emma O’Neill
Robert White
Apologies
Christine Mercer
List of Actions:
Jim Elder-Woodward welcomed everyone to the meeting and asked if everyone would give permission to record the meeting. Everyone agreed.
Lee House will send out the presentation from Marianne Craig to stakeholders following the meeting. (Done)
Linda Scott advised she would like to update the advisory group on the award manager sessions which will be covered in any other business.
Linda Scott advised the group that ILF Scotland applied a 5.5% increase on the 1 December 2021 to all awards. The Scottish Social Care staff hourly rate will then go up to £10.50 on 1 April 2022. ILF Scotland will not automatically apply this uplift to care provider hourly rates but will handle any subsequent increases on a case-by-case basis.
Linda Scott advised the group that the Minister has asked the working group that has been set up for more details around the social care figures provided by Local Authorities. Linda Scott mentioned this group is to be a short life working group.
Linda Scott advised the group that ILF Scotland will be updating and revising policy 26 in 2022.
Linda Scott advised the group that the sustainability payments will likely be extended until June 2022. This will allow ILF Scotland to make full payments to recipients even if the full package of care is not being fulfilled. ILF Scotland is waiting on confirmation from the Scottish Government.
(Robert White joined the meeting at 13:33)
Robert White advised the group that the ILF review cycle has started again after the Omicron variant. ILF Scotland will take more time with reviews as the complexity rises for each visit. The average visit being now 2-3 hours. Previously, if a recipient wanted a copy of their review visit report, ILF Scotland insisted that they submit a ‘Subject Access Request’ (A subject access request, or SAR, is a written request to a company or organisation asking for access to the personal information it holds on you), required under Data Protection legislation to ensure that organisations handle requests for personal information safely. As part of ILF Scotland’s Charter for Involvement Action Plan, it has now amended its internal procedures to make this easier without losing any of the protection of personal information. At review visits, recipients can ask the ILF Scotland Assessor for a copy of the report. Once finalised a copy of the report will be sent to the Award Manager for information. The report will only be amended if there were any factual inaccuracies.
(Peter Scott joined the meeting at 13:46)
Lee House will email out electronic feedback forms for review when edits have been made for final comments.
Linda Scott asked the group to comment on their experience on PA recruitment and retention.
The group gave examples of each of their experiences when hiring PA’s from issues with pay rates, advertising and shifts.
Peter Scott advised the group that although the Programme Board has been very clear that there is to be registration and regulation of PAs, this should be on a voluntary basis. Peter Scott discussed the importance of any changes having the support of the Disability Rights Movement.
Linda Scott advised the group that there will be a progress report completed at the end of the financial year which will go to ILF Scotland’s Board. This will be discussed the next meeting in May 2022.
Peter Scott has advised the group he and Linda Scott will discuss the payments for PAs for the Queens Jubilee with the Sponsor Team and update the Advisory Group in due course.
Jim Elder-Woodward asked why ILF Scotland didn’t pay for Employer’s NI.
(Discussions subsequent to the meeting revealed a letter from ILF Scotland in 2016 stating that since employer’s were exempt from paying NI for the first £3000 of employer’s NI, ILF Scotland will stop such payments. ILF Scotland’s Employer Support Information Note issued in 2021, confirms that this allowance increased to £4,000 and if an Employer’s total NI exceeds this amount in a year, Award Managers can ask ILF Scotland to include Employer NI costs in their award.
Linda Scott advised she will discuss an amended and final version of the Terms of Reference with Jim Elder-Woodward. This will then be circulated to the advisory group.
Two questions from group members about sick pay and payment dates for PAs. Nic Reid mentioned that her NI payments were out of sync with HMRC. Emma O’Neill responded with advice to support issue.
Monday 23rd May 2022 1pm -3pm
Monday 22nd August 2022 1pm -3pm
Monday 21st November 2022 1pm -3pm
