Current Petitions

Patrick and Jennifer Woods submitted petition PE572, on the provision of respite homes for sufferers of multiple sclerosis. They called on the Scottish Parliament to investigate whether there is adequate provision in Scotland of respite homes with no upper age limit for sufferers of MS and other disabling conditions.The petition was prompted by the petitioners' concerns surrounding the decision by the Multiple Sclerosis Society Scotland to close its holiday respite care centre at Holmhill, Grantown-on-Spey, and the failure to provide an adequate period of time for consultation and debate on the issue. The petition was considered on 17 December 2002. It was agreed that the Executive's comments should be sought on the range of issues raised in the petition and that the MS Society Scotland should be asked to provide details of its formal position in relation to the proposed closure at Holmhill and of its policy on the provision of respite care and short breaks for MS sufferers. Responses have now been received.The Executive says that it has provided new funding of £11 million for respite services, which should help local authorities to provide an additional 22,000 weeks of respite across Scotland each year by 2004. The Executive expects older disabled people, including people with MS, to benefit from this measure. The Executive also explains that respite care will, in the main, be regulated and registered by the care commission and that service providers will be subject to the statutory requirement to provide notice of a cancellation of registration to users and their families. This includes the requirement to ensure that users of the service at that time will continue to receive a similar service. The Multiple Sclerosis Society Scotland provides full details of the background to the closure of its respite facility at Holmhill, making clear that this was an extremely difficult decision that was taken after lengthy consideration and consultation and a thorough review of its two similar homes in Scotland. It explains that the review confirmed that Holmhill had been underused for many years and that none of the alternative uses that were considered proved to be practically or financially viable. It was decided that much better use could be made of the resources that were used to run Holmhill. The society says that the closure of the facility has allowed it to make improvements to its other activities, including an increase in the number of specialist nurses.However, the society expresses the view that specialist respite care in Scotland for those with MS is poor and says that many young adults with the condition have to take places in homes for the elderly.

Are members content with that recommendation?Members indicated agreement.