STUC: withdraw care Bill

The Scottish TUC called on the Scottish Government to withdraw its National Care Service (Scotland) Bill (NCS)after expressing “bitter disappointment” at the lack of funding for social care workers.

The COSLA Scottish councils body has also withdrawn its support for the proposals, and the UNISON public services union called on the Scottish Green Party to “call time” on the Bill, describing it as “confused and damaging legislation”.

The Bill allows for the transfer of a range of social care, social work and community health functions from local authorities to a new centralised body under the direction of Scottish ministers.

“We need urgent investment in social care and improved wages to attract and retain skilled staff,” said STUC general secretary Roz Foyer. “That can be done, in the here and now, without the need for a new National Care Service.

"Profiteering, low pay and insecure conditions within social care are rampant throughout the sector.

"It would appear the Scottish Government, through the proposed NCS Bill, seems content for that to continue, something which we cannot allow in our name."