SNP vote to proceed with billion-pound social care bureaucracy

Speaking after SNP and Green ministers voted down proposals to ditch the takeover of care services by ministers, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said:

“This is a pig-headed decision by the Scottish Government.

“This was an opportunity to recognise that Scotland’s social care staff and patients cannot wait for years while the SNP play around with a bureaucratic centralisation of care services rather than improving pay and conditions now.

“Trade unions, charities, health board bosses and even SNP backbenchers all think these proposals are flawed.

“It’s clear that local control is being sacrificed on the altar of a billion-pound ministerial takeover of social care. These plans will consume gargantuan amounts of money and time and will not address the problems at the root.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats will continue to campaign for better pay, conditions and career progression, and guaranteed standards and entitlements for those who depend on social care.”

ENDS