West Lothian Council leader, Lawrence Fitzpatrick has stressed that the responsibility for the decision to transfer West Lothian Care Homes to the voluntary or private sector rests with the SNP Government.
He said he wrote to the First Minister at the end of March pressing him to allocate more funding to West Lothian IJB only to receive a “negative response”. He said: “We are on the front fighting for local people and our communities, despite 16 years of £150m of Scottish Government underfunding whose disastrous priorities have seen billions wasted.
“Concerns have been raised on the future of West Lothian Council’s care home facilities with commentary extending to closure, evictions and lack of consultation with staff, residents, and their families.
Councillor Fitzpatrick stressed there have been engagement meetings with council care home staff and residents and their families and no referral has been refused to a council care home which as always, are open.
He also said the council would never, and have never, evicted a care home resident.
He continued: “The Scottish Government has made it clear to health boards that significant efficiencies are required - the Scottish government’s medium term financial plan makes this clear.”
West Lothian Integration Joint Board has responsibility for adult social care, which is
delivered by a number of partners, including West Lothian Council. NHS Lothian provide primary care (GPS, community nurses, community hospitals, dental prescription services).
The IJB has eight voting members, four appointed by WLC - four councillors and one non-voting trade union representative and the health board appoints four voting members and one non-voting trade union representative.
It is also the case that in law the IJB has powers of direction to the council.
West Lothian IJB has had a review of its budget pressures and has agreed a three-year budget plan, which identified options to deliver savings in community hospitals and care homes which are now in the public domain for consideration, responses required by 5pm on Tuesday, June 6.
Councillor Fitzpatrick added: "Without recognition of the difficult financial position in social care and urgent support from the government, services will be put at risk .
“The ball is firmly in the SNP government’s court.
“I call on them to deliver the fair funding that West Lothian deserves or we will lose services that our communities so desperately need.”
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