SNP plans for a national care service appear dead after the Scottish Greens voted to withdraw support for the Bill. Party members called for the proposals to be “radically” scaled back over concerns by trade unions and councils.
The ScottishGovernment’s NCS proposal involves a huge shake up of the sector in a bid to drive up standards and wages. But the plan, which involves creating a new national care board, has been seen as a power grab from councils and NHS boards.
Local authorities and trade unions have walked away from the Bill and parliamentary support is hanging by a thread.
First Minister John Swinney needed support from the Greens to win parliamentary approval, but that option has been closed off.
At the party’s conference in Greenock, members overwhelmingly voted to withdraw support for the SNP Bill in its current form. MSP Gillian Mackay said: “The National Care Service Bill is not fit for purpose and has lost the support of trade unions and other key stakeholders.
“There are some positives within the Bill that I hope MSPs from all parties would want to see enacted. For example, giving people living in care homes the right to see and spend time with loved ones, greater support for carers to take personalised respite breaks, and greater access to advocacy and information.
“The government must radically rethink and reduce the scope of this Bill. That means focusing on increasing support and rights to those providing care, including unpaid carers. Without that fundamental change and shift in focus we cannot support it.”
Cllr Anthony Carroll, a supporter of the motion, said: “Councillors across the country are deeply concerned that the National Care Service as proposed will take away local accountability of social care and leave it in the hands of Scottish Ministers. It’s important to say we must still strive for a National Care Service worthy of that name that puts people over profit and respects local democracy, which this Bill flies in the face of.
“Greens will always stand for the empowerment of local authorities who have local expertise and knowledge. If we centralise that power with the Scottish Government on social care and social work we would see that lost. It is time for the Scottish Government to end the power grab on local authorities and focus solely on enhancing the rights and support for those providing care in this Bill, or see it fall.”
The motion states: “If the re-scoping of the bill focusing on enhancing support & rights for those providing care is unable to achieve consent from key stakeholders & Parliament, and the bill is presented as it stands, then Conference instructs Green MSPs to vote to oppose the National Care Service Bill.”
SNP Finance Secretary Shona Robison told the BBC the Government is willing to compromise on changes.
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