Leonard takes a pop at South Lan’s care
Fabiani‘shocked’at findings on some services
NICOLA FINDLAY
The leader of Scottish Labour has branded care services in South Lanarkshire as “chaotic and disorganised”.
Richard Leonard MSP spoke at First Minister’s Questions on Thursday following two damning Care Inspectorate reports on the matter.
Inspectors served an Improvement Notice on home care services in Ruthergeln and Cambuslang highlighting practices they said were “unsafe for both services users and care staff ”.
But with services in East Kilbride praised for being well-run, managers are set to be redeployed to ‘pick -up the slack’ in neighbouring South Lanarskhire towns.
Concerns have been raised that this could lead to a shortfall of quality in East Kilbride with the town’s MSP, Linda Fabiani, insisting this shouldn’t be the case following a meeting with council leaders.
Speaking in parliament Mr Leonard said: “Isn’t it time that Scotland had a Scottish care service with consistent standards, compassion for both staff and care users which meets their needs and respects their rights?”
He went on: “Care users and their families are entitled to hold those responsible for the mismanagement of care services to account.
“It has been almost five years since the integration of health and social care and still the system is not working.
“This week Scotland’s councils have warned that this government’s cuts have put their budgets at breaking point and put community services at risk.
“So will the First Minister accept that responsibility of course lies with SNP South Lanarkshire, but it also lies with this government?”
Linda Fabiani MSP: “I certainly was shocked and concerned when I read of the Care Inspectorate’s Report into the Home Care Service for Hamilton, Larkhall and Blantyre.
“This is of course the responsibility of South
Lanarkshire Council and I understand that the system which was put in place many years ago is under review by the current administration.
“At a meeting with council leaders on Friday I emphasised that the most important people in all of this are those who require home care and they, and their families, must be reassured that the council is doing everything they can to give the service required.”
She added: “In East Kilbride generally the Home Care Service is noted within the council for being well-run and those responsible for the EK service have been asked to assist in Hamilton and elsewhere.
“That’s fine and their expertise should be used to help in other areas.
“I did, however, stress to council leaders that this should not in any way adversely affect the service in East Kilbride. I will continue to monitor that”.