Questions over £700k outsourcing in Scottish care
SCOTTISH Labour has accused the Scottish Government of a “lack of vision” and called for answers after it emerged that more than £700,000 has been paid to outsource parts of the development of the national care service.
The flagship policy would bring adult social care under the control of a new body which, according to a consultation launched into the initiative, could also have other functions including the control of children’s and addictions services.
But some of the major parts of developing the system have been farmed out to major consultancy firms.
PwC has received £168,360 for analysing the consultation responses and designing the operating model.
KPMG was this month given a £546,000 contract to develop a business case for the service.
Scottish Labour’s health spokeswoman, Jackie Baillie, has demanded answers as to why this work could not be done by civil servants already employed by the Scottish Government, saying “big companies” have benefited from the SNP’s approach.
She said: “We need a national care service run in the best interests of service users and workers – but so far it is only big companies that have benefited from the SNP’s actions.
“Serious questions need to be asked about the SNP Government’s lack of vision and why there is not the expertise within the public sector, in health and social care, or with the army of civil servants in Edinburgh to undertake the work given to these companies.
“A national care service worthy of the name must have the interests of care users, social care workers, and families at its heart.”
Ms Baillie added: “It’s time for the SNP Government to come clean on why the people of Scotland are footing the bill for these contracts and commit to putting the service users and workers at the centre of the national care service.”
The national care service will aim to “improve the way we deliver social care in Scotland” and follows the recommendations of the Independent Review of Adult Social Care.
A Scottish Government spokesperson said the national care service “will be the most significant change in public services since the establishment of the National Health Service”.
And they said the companies were appointed after a “transparent” process.
“We are committed to delivering a National Care Service by the end of this Parliament in order to ensure everyone gets the high-quality care they are entitled to,