Social care service users and staff being ignored by ministers, says Cole-Hamilton

The Scottish Liberal Democrat leader urged ministers to axe the National Care Service Bill as satisfaction with the social care system falls.

The number of people who rate Scotland’s social care service as ‘good’ has plummeted (Yui Mok/PA) (PA Wire)

The Scottish Government has been accused of ignoring the needs of those who use and work in social care by continuing to move ahead with its plans for a National Care Service, despite unions and local authorities pulling their support.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said ministers are launching a “power grab” on the sector that will take control away from local communities.

The criticism comes after a report revealed a large drop in the number of people satisfied with the social care system in Scotland.

The Health and Care Experience Survey found the proportion of service users who feel the system has improved or maintained their quality of life dropped from 80% in 2015/16 to 53% this year.

Researchers at Public Health Scotland also reported the number of Scots who rate their overall help, care or support as “excellent” or “good” decreased from 82% to 63%.

Those who feel they are supported to live independently fell to 65% compared to 85% nine years ago.

The survey also found the number of service users who think they have a say in their care plummeted from 80% to 53%, while those who feel safe decreased from 85% to 66%.

The Scottish Government has come under pressure from opposition parties to either scrap or pause the National Care Service Bill, which is currently going through Parliament.

The plans – which would centralise adult social care and social work into a single body ultimately accountable to ministers – has been beset by delays and uncertainty over costs since it was announced.

Health Secretary Neil Gray has vowed to “complete the job” despite local authority umbrella body Cosla and unions withdrawing their support for it.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said it “couldn’t be clearer” that the entire Scottish care system is “in crisis”.

He added: “Staff have been let down and service users are telling us how badly it is impacting upon them.

“The SNP’s only answer is an ill-fated power grab that would wrench away control from local communities and completely fail to tackle the core problems in social care.

“My party is the only one that has opposed this legislation from day one. We’ve now been joined by the unions representing frontline staff and councils.

“They can all see that waiting for the wrong solution in 2029 isn’t going to fix the care crisis that thousands of families are struggling with right now.”

He described the National Care Service as “billion-pound bureaucracy that no-one wants”.

He added: “We can’t begin to fix the care crisis until the Scottish Government admits their pricey power grab is doomed.

“They must drop it and put the money into frontline services and staff instead.”

Social care minister Maree Todd said: “Creating the National Care Service is about improving people’s lives and ensuring consistency of care across Scotland. These statistics provide more evidence that the social care system in Scotland needs fundamental reform.

“That is why it is essential we establish a National Care Service that will improve people’s lives and quality of care, while ensuring those who deliver vital services feel supported.

“We remain open to working constructively with local government through continued progress on the National Care Service Bill. We should all want to address the concerns of people who use community health and social care and the staff who provide it.”