NEW figures show that some Fife residents have been waiting up to three years for their care packages to be implemented.

And one resident waited 1,385 days, while another waited 1,370 for their package of care.

In total three Fife residents have had to wait 1000 days or more for support to be put in place.

MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Roz McCall, said: "These statistics in Fife are truly shocking and the fact that we have had three residents waiting more than 1000 days for care packages to be implemented should worry us all.

"This SNP/Green Government’s decision to snatch back £331 million from COVID reserve funding, £21.5m of which was earmarked for Fife’s Joint Integrated Board, is scandalous. This is money which could have made a huge difference to residents in Fife and could have given care packages to our elderly and vulnerable.

"It is essential that community-based social care is driven at a local level because it’s the only way that the needs of the patients are met. I will continue to put these issues at the forefront of my work at Holyrood. Fife deserves much better.’’

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "Being at home or in a community setting is in the best interests of anyone who no longer has any clinical need to be in hospital. We’re working closely with partners to reduce delays in getting people to the most suitable place for their care, and have provided £8 million to increase the number of interim care beds available.

“Social care has been hit by a triple whammy of staffing hit by Brexit, the pandemic, and rising costs of energy and inflation. Hospital at Home and Care at Home funding has increased, and £200 million was provided to increase the hourly rate in social care.

"The IJB funding referred to was specifically for the COVID response, and as it was not used for that, it was redirected to increase health and social care support during the pressures of winter.”