1/ Here are some facts about the state of care in Scotland before the pandemic that the Scottish Government shouldn't need "the benefit of hindsight" to know:
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotla…
bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotla…
2/ In 2017, the Competition and Markets Authority found that Scotland's care system is completely unsustainable.
Care is underfunded and undermaintained. Self-funding service users are made to pay more and more to support the system while billions are sent to tax havens.
Care is underfunded and undermaintained. Self-funding service users are made to pay more and more to support the system while billions are sent to tax havens.
3/ Private care creates a stratified system where care and care quality is distributed on the basis of wealth, not on need. Those with greater needs but less money face living with unsuitable levels of care.
Care homes spend, on average, just £6 per day on food per resident.
Care homes spend, on average, just £6 per day on food per resident.
4/ Private care bosses make billions in tax haven profits by withholding appropriate care from those with less money. Jeane Freeman promised those same bosses the SNP would not take care into public ownership.
But profits are not reinvested into the system. This means:
But profits are not reinvested into the system. This means:
5/ Carers can't afford to be sick.
Carers are key workers on poverty pay wages. 43% of care workers receive less than £9.30 an hour. Many face unpaid travel & sleep-ins, and are forced into phoney "self-employed" arrangements.
1/3 of carers leave the profession every year. So:
Carers are key workers on poverty pay wages. 43% of care workers receive less than £9.30 an hour. Many face unpaid travel & sleep-ins, and are forced into phoney "self-employed" arrangements.
1/3 of carers leave the profession every year. So:
6/ Care is chronically understaffed.
52% of care homes report daily job vacancies, and 91% of care homes have difficulty filling nurse vacancies. This is because of workplace conditions and low pay in care.
Carers were not able to safely stay at home during the pandemic peaks.
52% of care homes report daily job vacancies, and 91% of care homes have difficulty filling nurse vacancies. This is because of workplace conditions and low pay in care.
Carers were not able to safely stay at home during the pandemic peaks.
7/ Understaffing causes dangerous overwork.
High staff turnover & poverty pay conditions leaves carers with an unsustainable workload to both deliver appropriate care and make ends meet.
This causes burnout & illness, and care is unable to cope with a surge in demand. So:
High staff turnover & poverty pay conditions leaves carers with an unsustainable workload to both deliver appropriate care and make ends meet.
This causes burnout & illness, and care is unable to cope with a surge in demand. So:
8/ Carers can't isolate. Workers who can't afford to miss work are more likely to catch Coronavirus.
No one should have to choose between paying rent and public health.
If care was properly staffed, and carers properly paid, lives would have been saved.
No one should have to choose between paying rent and public health.
If care was properly staffed, and carers properly paid, lives would have been saved.
9/ Watchdogs are ineffective.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been gutted by austerity cuts, and private care homes fail Care Inspectorate investigations with impunity.
Care bosses have been free to pursue an austerity agenda that harms worker safety and care quality.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been gutted by austerity cuts, and private care homes fail Care Inspectorate investigations with impunity.
Care bosses have been free to pursue an austerity agenda that harms worker safety and care quality.
10/ If the Scottish Government didn't know about the state of care in Scotland, it's only because they've spent 14 years not wanting to know.
Thousands of lives have been lost because of it, and Scotland's vital care system is not fit to meet our growing care needs.
Thousands of lives have been lost because of it, and Scotland's vital care system is not fit to meet our growing care needs.
11/ We don't need more highly-paid executives who won't deliver a single minute of care.
We need a publicly-owned, publicly-run #NationalCareService, that brings care into public ownership and delivers it on the basis of need, like our NHS.
scottishsocialistparty.org/national-care-…
We need a publicly-owned, publicly-run #NationalCareService, that brings care into public ownership and delivers it on the basis of need, like our NHS.
scottishsocialistparty.org/national-care-…
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