[Edinburgh-carecampaign] Care Workers Hit Out At Private Sector

[Danny]

Care workers hit out at private sector
			
    		News.., Social care — By SSmith on August 11, 2011 1:41 pm   

A CAMPAIGNING group established to fight cuts to social care
services in Edinburgh has slammed the council’s strategy of outsourcing
care services to private companies after another one went to the wall.
Choices Care went into administration last week, leaving behind an
uncertain future for the 800 people with learning disabilities it cares
for in Scotland and the North of England.
It emerged that in 2009 the City of Edinburgh Council attempt to
commission a care and support contract worth over £1m to the company as
part of the tender process that was halted after a campaign by
service-users, care and support workers and advocacy groups.
One of the campaign groups that successfully opposed the council’s
plans was Support Workers Action Network (SWAN), which is made up of
employees of care charities in Scotland.
Spokesperson Danny Oliver said the collapse of Choices Care was
another example of the dangers of allowing private companies to provide
“vital care services”.
“Had the Lib Dem / SNP Council got its way Choices Care would have
been providing 2,000 support hours per week to Edinburgh citizens with
learning disabilities,” he said.
“Now with the collapse of the company these vulnerable adults, many
with complex care needs, would have faced yet another traumatic
upheaval in their support service and the council would have had to
foot the bill of cleaning the whole mess up.
“Thanks to all those who campaigned to scrap the tender process this
disaster has been avoided. Unfortunately the 800 or so Choices Care
service users across Scotland and the North East of England have not
been so lucky.”
Local authorities must now ensure that good quality voluntary sector
service providers are adequately funded and learn the lesson that
allowing low cost private companies to deliver a cut price service only
leaves service users exposed and vulnerable, said Oliver.
SWAN achieved a massive victory when the tender process for care and
support services was abandoned after a public outcry and a damning
external review.
However the pressure to reduce costs remains says Oliver and
SWAN believes that private companies are still cutting corners to
reduce costs to the detriment of the quality of care.
He added: “It is vital we maintain momentum and ensure the voices of staff and service users continue to be heard.”
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