Caring Soles provides vital footcare to the elderly, but its future is in doubt after being a victim of community funding cuts
An urgent fundraising appeal has been launched in a bid to save a vital service that helps older people with their mobility.
The Eric Liddell Centre has launched a campaign as it looks to save its popular Caring Soles Footcare Service, which provides podiatry care to the elderly.
The service, which was set up following discussions with NHS Lothian Podiatry in January 2017, now faces an uncertain future without financial support, following an unsuccessful funding application to the Edinburgh Integrated Joint Board (EIJB).
The centre is one of the 35 organisations that lost its funding following a revamp of the support the EIJB provides.
Caring Soles helps people with non-medical footcare support, whilst also supporting those experiencing loneliness and social isolation.
The service operates within the premises of the Edinburgh charity, in addition to satellite hubs in Gorgie/Dalry, Restalrig and Wester Hailes. Proposed plans to further expand the service into Craigmillar and other areas have been put on hold in light of the financial strain placed on the service.
Last year, more than 350 Edinburgh residents benefitted from the initiative, which was created to help those who cannot afford private podiatry treatment. The service was praised for the health benefits it had for participants, who were often not only more mobile but experienced general improvements to their mental and physical health.
John MacMillan, chief executive of the Eric Liddell Centre, said it is hoped that a successful fundraising campaign will plug the significant gap in funding.
He said: “It’s highly unfortunate that the Caring Soles service is in this position. While it is understandable that public bodies can’t fund all requests for financial support, we’re nevertheless disappointed that this well-regarded service, with ambitions to grow and expand throughout Edinburgh, now finds itself struggling.
“The Eric Liddell Centre is committed to continuing our Caring Soles Service – we remain positive about the future and are in negotiations with other funding bodies who are interested in this area of work. This added to the support from our funding appeal will hopefully enable this important community service to remain operational.”
TFN reported last week that a total of 35 organisations are set to lose out on their funding after grants totalling £1.9 million a year were not recommended for renewal by the board.
The EIJB, which is made up of health board and council representatives, said the move follows a review into health and social care grants, with the decision cemented at a meeting of the board on Friday, 14 December.
EIJB chairman councillor Ricky Henderson pledged that finance officers will work with unsuccessful organisations to “ensure that service users are offered appropriate alternative support” and will “assist with identifying alternative funding or restructuring.”
The Eric Liddell Centre is a care charity and community hub that has supported some of the most vulnerable people in Edinburgh since 1980.
It was also part of a consortium that provided a hospital discharge support service that lost its funding from the EIJB – which could result in up to 16 posts being lost across four charities at the end of March 2019.
