by Bill Heaney
Who cares for the carers? We’ll see this afternoon when a demonstration against a “redesign” of their service to West Dunbartonshire’s elderly will take place in Church Street, Dumbarton, from 3.30pm.
The Labour-controlled council appears to be intent on imposing a new set of pay and conditions on the carers who provide free personal care for sick, disabled and even terminally ill people in the community.
“The Council needs to immediately suspend the redesign and get agreement with the Unions on a model both can sign off on.
“I am hearing of carers’ hours being cut by 16 hrs per week. Some carers are only able to spend 7 minutes on their visits with some clients, with no travel time, and they can have 15 service users on their daily list.
“Service users can have four different carers in one day. Not only is this being diluted as a caring service, but it is also unsafe and needs to be halted immediately.
“Carers were promised no detriment when the redesign started, there is clear financial detriment in salary, pension and work/life balance given the unreasonable new rotas being forced on homecare staff, with a take it or leave it attitude.”
The demonstration against these “heartless” proposals will take place at the council headquarters [the old Burgh Hall] at 16 Church Street when banner-carrying, flag waving and whistle blowing carers and their supporters will take place.