A Rutherglen councillor has described the Scottish Government’s National Care Service plan as “dead in the water”.
South Lanarkshire Liberal Democrat Group Leader Councillor Robert Brown was speaking after council leaders on local government body COSLA decided to withdraw support from the scheme.
Councillor Brown said: “Scottish Liberal Democrats have opposed this SNP bureaucratic power grab from day one. Indeed we are the only party to have done so.
“Since it was first mooted, Liberal Democrats on South Lanarkshire Council have repeatedly got the council to support motions condemning the plan.
“With purse strings tight it is madness to continue with a billion-pound bureaucracy that no one wants. Ministers must scrap it immediately and instead use the earmarked money to invest in frontline care staff and services.”
COSLA said council leaders had concerns about proposed legislation and that several organisations – including those in the care sector – had expressed doubt over the government’s approach.
The service, which would have transferred social care responsibility from councils to a new national service, was already delayed for three years due to cost saving measures.
This month the GMB and Unison unions also withdrew their support for the bill, which has been hindered by delays and rising costs.
Councillor Brown added: “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 SNP must be able to see that a distant Minister in Edinburgh taking decisions about care services in Rutherglen, East Kilbride or Hamilton is nonsense.
“Waiting for the wrong solution in 2029 isn’t going to fix the care crisis that thousands of families are struggling with right now. It’s why councils have followed frontline workers in withdrawing their support.
“Scottish Liberal Democrats want to use the money 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.”
The Scottish Government previously described the National Care Service Bill, which is currently passing through parliament, as the “biggest public service reform in Scotland since devolution”.
The government said it was “extremely disappointing” that some COSLA leaders have chosen to “frustrate progress” towards a national care service.
Social Care Minister Maree Todd said: “Creating the National Care Service is about improving people’s lives and ensuring consistency of care across Scotland.
“We have been in detailed negotiations with local government for almost two years and have listened to and acted on their concerns.
“While there are some areas that are still contentious, walking away from this vital reform shows total disregard for the people we all serve.”
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