STICK YOUR HEALTH PLANS, CARE WORKERS TELL STURGEON AND SNP GOVERNMENT

The SNP’s flagship National Care Service for the elderly has been thrown into chaos after four out of five workers voted to oppose the plans due to their ‘delays and lack of detail’.

Nicola Sturgeon introduced the Bill but Scotland's care workers have rejected it — **Nicola Sturgeon introduced the Bill but Scotland’s care workers have rejected it.**

Four out of five workers, who voted voted to oppose the plans, have told the former First Minister where to stick them, and made no secret of the fact where exactly that is.

The GMB union, which represents the majority of care workers in Scotland, claims delays and a lack of detail have turned workers against the SNP government plans.

A ballot of care workers saw 79 per cent voting to withdraw support for the National Care Service – Nicola Sturgeon’s legacy project – as it is still not in place after years of planning and millions spent.

Hamilton Alex Cole-Hamilton outside the surgery 5

GMB Scotland secretary Louise Gilmour, Health Secretary Neil Gray, Minister for Social Care Maree Todd and LibDem leader Alex Cole Hamilton.

On Tuesday, the union wrote to Health Secretary Neil Gray and Minister for Social Care Maree Todd to notify them of the decision.

GMB Scotland secretary Louise Gilmour told the media that the service could have helped ease the crisis in social care but the opportunity has been “squandered”.

“It is absolutely no surprise that our members in care have decided enough is enough. The problems in social care are obvious and the solution is just as clear and would mean employers being compelled to fairly pay and properly protect care workers.

“We have heard plenty of warm words about our campaign for carers to earn £15 an hour, for example, but progress has been glacial.

“All the time and money spent on the National Care Service should have transformed how care is delivered, protecting workers and those they care for. It has, instead, achieved nothing.”

The Bill was introduced in June 2022 to reform how social care, social work and community health services are delivered. It was described as “the most significant reform to public services since the creation of the NHS”.

A government spokeswoman was apparently unnmoved bt this most recent turn of events.

She said: “We’ve listened to the thousands of people, including the social care workforce, who have told us we need to fundamentally transform the way social care is delivered.

“A National Care Service will ensure greater accountability at national and local level, whilst strengthening the role of the workforce and ensuring they are recognised and rewarded for the excellent services they provide across our communities.”

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP today responded to the GMB’s decision to oppose the SNP’s centralised takeover of care services, urging ministers to scrap their plans and focus on supporting frontline staff and users instead.

Speaking on the BBC’s Good Morning Scotland Programme earlier today, Keir Greenaway, the GMB’s senior organiser in Scotland, explained why almost 80% of GMB members had voted against the Scottish Government’s proposed centralisation of the care sector.

Mr Greenaway stated that the SNP’s plans represent “an added level of bureaucracy” and “won’t be able to deliver real change in the sector.”

Minister Maree Todd, also appeared on the programme to discuss the government’s plans. She admitted that the process “had been slow” and that delivery “is going to take a number of years.”

Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “There is now a mountain of opposition to this white elephant of a ministerial takeover. The SNP government should do the right thing and scrap it immediately.

“Even the minister overseeing these ill-fated plans has admitted they would take years to come about. When they do, they will completely fail to tackle core problems. Instead, they would see decisions about care by a minister in Edinburgh.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats would devote the money from this vast billion-pound bureaucracy to frontline services and staff. We want to create a new minimum wage for care workers to tackle chronic staff shortages, get people the care they need and relieve pressures right across the NHS.”

Top of page: Care workers demonstrating outside West Dunbartonshire Council offices in Dumbarton.