The Scottish government have announced another delay in their much talked about National Care Service amid overwhelming opposition from care workers, trade unions and local authorities. In this article written before the announcement, Chris Sermanni, Glasgow City UNISON secretary (personal capacity), outlines the need to fight for public ownership of the care sector.
The Scottish government’s plans for a National Care Service (NCS) are in tatters after the Scottish Greens voted overwhelmingly at their recent party conference to withdraw support for the bill.
The Greens, who were the only opposition party to have voiced support for the NCS legislation, are now unencumbered by the Bute House agreement and have decided to change their position. Gillian McKay, the party health spokesperson, said: “The National Care Service bill is not fit for purpose and has lost the support of trade unions and other key stakeholders”.
In reality, the Bill has not had any cross-party support, and the trade unions have been strong critics of the proposed legislation since it was initially tabled.
UNISON described it as “a shambles” and UNITE walked away from any involvement in its co-design. GMB and the STUC have followed suit. COSLA also withdrew any support, viewing it as an attack on local democracy. Other than the Greens, you would struggle to find any stakeholder who supported it in the first place.
It is not difficult to understand why the Bill is so unpopular – it is an uncosted mess, underpinned by the market with no commitment to public ownership of care services.
It envisions “a model of ethical commissioning and ethical procurement” as being “the cornerstone of the National Care Service”. There is nothing to address the chronic levels of low pay in the care sector, nor any commitment to sectoral bargaining.
Socialist Party Scotland (CWI) believes that Scotland needs a National Care Service that is publicly owned, appropriately funded and care provided on a needs basis, not on the ability to pay.
Nationalise the greedy care providers and introduce an £15 per hour minimum wage, with full trade union rights for all workers. This would immediately help tackle the poverty wages that shame the care sector.
