The three biggest care workers’ unions in West Lothian have called for proposals to close four council-run care homes to be blocked.
UNISON, GMB and Unite are urging the Integrated Joint Board (IJB) to reject the proposals, which have been put forward as part of swingeing budget cutbacks.
The IJB oversees the health and care services managed between the council and NHS Lothian, which is itself facing budget cutbacks.
READ MORE: Number of drivers using West Lothian electric chargers drops steeply after motorists made to pay
The homes which could face closure are Limecroft and Craigmair in Livingston, Whitdale in Whitburn and Burngrange in West Calder.
Unions understand the proposal would be to close two sites within two years, with admissions to the council homes winding down and departing staff not being replaced.
The unions have not had indications that the properties could be taken on by private providers.
The unions say that budget cuts will also reduce the care at home service for the elderly and disabled, cut staffing in housing with care, reduce the number of social workers, Occupational Therapists and admin support staff and privatise residential care for adults with a learning disability.
All three unions are adamant that social care should not be delivered for private profit.
They will be demonstrating outside the Civic Centre, Livingston on Tuesday at 1pm - just before the IJB meets - with the demand to “Keep profit out of care”.
The chair of the joint trade union committee, Jane Ridgway said: “The proposals will impact on approximately 300 low paid, mainly part-time female council workers and some of the most vulnerable groups in West Lothian.
“The wholesale transfer of care to the private sector is unacceptable to the trade unions and we will do everything we can to publicise and mobilise against these proposals.”
Speaking in advance of tomorrow’s meeting, Alison White, the Chief Officer of the West Lothian IJB, said: “To put it simply, if we do not agree to make significant changes to the way in which we deliver services, we will need to stop some services altogether to make the required savings and we do not want to do that.”
An estimated budget gap of £17.3 million has been identified by the IJB, with its members being asked to approve a three-year budget to help tackle this.
A public consultation was carried out last Autumn, and a number of savings options have been identified to manage spending within future available funding and ensure that the current level of services provided to service users continues.
In a statement released before Tuesday’s meeting the IJB said: “The West Lothian Integration Joint Board (IJB) is set to agree how best to invest almost £261 million for 2023/24 to safeguard local health and care services.
The statement added: “Key proposals to deliver the required savings include: increasing the use of technology to support care, redesigning services for adults with a learning disability and internal support at home services, as well as a review of bed requirements across health and social care including community hospital beds, and a review of internal care homes. They are also reviewing the provision of core and cluster accommodation which will enable people to return to West Lothian.”
Jane Ridgway told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “In our experience, private care companies deliver services by slashing pay and conditions of employees. West Lothian Council and the NHS need to contribute more to the IJB budget so these services can remain in the public sector.”
Papers to go before the IJB tomorrow outline: “The costs of internally delivering residential care for older people is materially higher than commissioning the equivalent type of care from the independent sector. A review of internal care home provision for older people within West Lothian will be progressed to inform options to deliver an affordable and sustainable model of care home provision for older people looking forward, including consideration of any associated risks”
Mrs White said: “Many service users, such as our care home residents and care at home clients, will see no impact at all on their level of care.
“The budget strategy represents what we believe are the best possible options for both achieving savings and ensuring that key services can still be delivered and vulnerable clients’ needs met.
“We will now begin a review of proposed changes with the service users, their families, staff and trade unions.”
READ NEXT:
West Lothian drivers park in disabled bays as police issue 20 tickets in last fortnight
West Lothian calls for reset of Holyrood partnership with councils
West Lothian park and ride plan deadline pushed back with bus services to continue
West Lothian new homes plan for former abattoir site on hold over location of social housing
