Last year, the Social Care Standards Authority conducted a record in the number of visits to senior citizens, the majority of them being related to services offered. This resulted from the SCSA 2020 annual report, which stated that between January and December, the Inspectorate Office conducted a total of 2,904 visits.
Minister for Senior Citizens and Active Ageing Michael Farrugia said that last year, the Social Care Standards Authority (SCSA) has peaked in its versatility since its inception. Since May 2020, the Authority has served as a swabbing hub to support different vulnerable groups, during the pandemic.
When presented with the authority’s annual report, the minister said that by the end of 2020, a total of 55,000 swabs were distributed by the authority to different, socially vulnerable groups. The staff of the authority worked in teams, to confirm results of swab tests, to make the necessary contact tracing and follow-ups, whilst keeping up with the routine duties.
By the end of 2020, the Social Care Standards Authority has also taken a central role in the immunisation programme for vulnerable people, which started with the vaccination of residents and employees in the care homes.
Minister Michael Farrugia praised the workers for their flexibility in ensuring that all the elderly in care homes were the first to be vaccinated against COVID-19. The minister said that, “Through this initiative, 14,957 vaccines were administered to the elderly and carers”.
Chief Executive Officer of the Authority Dr Angele Ellul Fenech said that the exceptional circumstances given the COVID-19 pandemic led the authority to increase its number of activities, particularly concerning the necessary inspection and monitoring visits. In constant collaboration with the public health authorities and line with the COVID-19 health regulations, the Social Care Standards Authority was also active in collaborating and supporting stakeholders, who took various initiatives to plan and implement the necessary protocols for the protection of the different social sectors.
According to the annual report, during 2020, the authority’s licensing office continued to analyse applications and issue new licenses. Following the publication of Legal Notice 153 of 2020, the Enforcement Office within the Social Care Standards Authority started its operations. This office was instrumental in conducting 203 visits to all social protection services within the authority’s mandate, while in conjunction with the authority’s Inspectorate, the Enforcement office held a further 151 inspections, primarily related to the prevention and control of infections.
