Health and Social Care department

Health and Social Care works to ensure the safety, well-being, dignity and independence of people over the age of 16. It provides support either at home or in residential care for older people, people with mental health problems and people with physical and learning disabilities.  Health and Social Care also supervises some offenders living in the community, for example those on probation. 

What we can do for you

• Provide welfare rights and debt advice and offer information about care and support services that may be available
• Assess your needs or those of the person you are caring for
• Take action if you think that someone is being harmed
• Provide care and support services in your home to help you with personal and other essential tasks
• Provide equipment and adaptations to help you gain or regain independence and keep you safe in your home
• Provide residential accommodation, day care and short breaks
• Offer support and advice to family or friends who are looking after someone

How we work

Health and Social Care provides a wide range of services to adults across Edinburgh. Many services are delivered by local neighbourhood teams; some are provided in hospital settings; and some by specialist teams serving the whole city. 

Local teams work closely with Edinburgh’s Community Health Partnership teams such as district nurses, physiotherapists and occupational therapists. All social care and community health services are managed jointly by the Director of Health and Social Care.

Facts and figures

The department employs around 3,500 Council and 2,000 NHS staff and has an annual budget of £420m. Its responsibilities include: 

• being the first point of contact for people enquiring about Health and Social Care services in the city, responding to around 55,000 telephone calls per year
• providing over 41,500 hours of domestic support and personal care for approximately 4,700 people each week
• supporting over 1,800 people each year in returning home from hospital
• providing day care services for over 380 older people
• providing residential care for 626 older people in fifteen Council care homes
• purchasing from private or voluntary agencies a further 2,900 care home placements for older people
• offering day services to approximately 450 people with learning disabilities each week
• providing residential and respite services for over 60 adults with learning disabilities and mental health problems
• offering day services for around 150 adults with physical disabilities each week
• supervising over 1,000 people who are on probation
• providing welfare rights and debt advice to approximately 36,000 people per year
• responding to over 12,000 emergency out-of-hours requests for services on behalf of Edinburgh, East Lothian and Midlothian councils
• contracting for primary care services from 77 GP practices, clinics and community based services, as well as pharmacists, dentists and opticians
• providing health visiting, district nursing, mental health, physiotherapy services.