The event is being organised by Horizon Housing Association.
Charitable and voluntary groups involved with older and disabled people are being urged to join a summit focused on developing new solutions to an acute shortage of accessible homes and strained social care and health resources.
The Housing & Social Care Accessibility Summit, which will be held at the V&A Museum in Dundee on Thursday, September 26th, is being co-hosted by Horizon, a social landlord providing affordable, accessible housing and services across central Scotland.
The event, which takes place during a national housing emergency and a crisis in health and social care, will be opened by Scottish Housing minister Paul McLennan and will be attended by leaders from across the housing, social care, design, construction and financial sectors as well as disability rights experts.
Lorna Cameron, chief executive of Horizon Housing, said: “We strongly encourage third sector organisations with expertise in accessible housing and social care issues to attend. It’s vital that the views of people most directly affected are represented.
“Accessible housing issues are closely linked to health and social care issues - we know that getting it right transforms lives. We need joined-up solutions to create a more inclusive and sustainable future in which homes can adapt as people’s needs change.”
Confirmed participants include Age Scotland Chief Executive Katherine Crawford, Pam Duncan-Glancy MSP, the first permanent wheelchair user elected to the Scottish Parliament, Donna Bell, Director of Social Care and National Care Service Development for the Scottish Government, and Susan Campbell, Director of Place at the Scottish National Investment Bank.
Charitable social landlords with expertise in accessible housing will include Albyn Housing and also Habinteg Housing which will provide a perspective on developments in England in Wales.
Horizon, part of the Link Group of companies, is co-hosting the summit with Scottish Housing News. The event is supported by builder Campion Homes, which won the Excellence in Accessibility and Inclusion Award at the Scottish Home Awards 2024, together with Kingdom Housing, for their Primrose Place development in Alloa which has special features designed to help people with dementia.
The summit will have three expert panel sessions focused on: critical links between health and social care and accessible housing; construction and design innovation; and financial innovation, including the impact of accessible housing provision on the public purse.
It will conclude with a workshop designed to turn outputs into practical recommendations and a blueprint for change.
