Charities Call for Halt to ‘Unjust’ Social Care Cuts in Argyll & Bute
We are sharing this press release from The Poverty Alliance, Argyll and Bute Citizens Advice Bureau and Argyll & Bute Third Sector Interface regarding proposed cuts to social care in Argyll and Bute.
You can read the full statement below.
News Release
For immediate release – Tue 16 Sep
Charities call for halt to ‘unjust’ social care cuts
Campaigners say they are prepared to write to Scottish Ministers over ‘unjust’ threatened cuts to social care in Argyll & Bute.
Argyll and Bute Citizens Advice Bureau, The Poverty Alliance and the Argyll & Bute Third Sector Interface say plans to take £500,000 out of the care budget will widen existing health inequalities in the region and hit the most disadvantaged people the hardest.
The three charities wrote to the chairman of the local health & social care partnership at the start of September, speaking out against the cuts and raising ‘serious’ questions about the way the organisation has consulted with local people.
The board meets this Wednesday (17 Sep) for a crunch meeting – and the charities are concerned that a decision impacting some of Argyll and Bute’s most vulnerable residents will be made without properly considering its impact.
Isobel, a member of the Poverty Alliance’s Citizens Panel who lives with a long-term health condition said: “I have friends and relatives who will be directly impacted by the cuts being proposed by Argyll and Bute Health and Social care Partnership. These changes also cause me to worry about my future when, not if, I need to access care. Will there be any or will I be shipped off to a care home where I know nobody miles from my family and friends? I know people who are fearful about exactly that scenario, who will find it nearly impossible to afford the travel costs and time involved. Their relationships will be broken at the time when they need to be strongest.”
Takki Sulaiman, Chief Executive of the Argyll & Bute Third Sector Interface, said: “Our social care system has to be based on fairness, dignity, and respect. It’s there to make sure that all of us can access any help we need to take a full part in daily life, with our families, in our communities and workplaces, and in wider society. Our ageing population makes it even more important to people in Argyll & Bute and their families.
“We had no option but to speak out against these unjust cuts. We know from our work with communities in Argyll and Bute that there are already huge challenges with the number of care places available, a failure to fulfil existing care packages, and centralised services struggling to meet the needs of people in rural locations.
“We are particularly concerned that these unjust cuts will result in expensive, complex and long journeys to placements far from loved ones, as well as emotional and financial strain on families – especially those in rural and island districts who already face higher transport costs and unreliable ferry services.”
Jen Broadhurst, Bureau Manager at Argyll and Bute Citizens Advice Bureau who provide advice and support to people who will be affected by these cuts said: “Our frontline experience supporting vulnerable residents across Argyll & Bute gives us direct insight into how these changes will impact those who can least afford reduced support. The consultation process has fallen short of the meaningful engagement our communities deserve on such significant decisions affecting disabled people, older adults, and their families.”
Ralph Hartley is Policy Officer at the Poverty Alliance, which runs the Taking Action on Rural Poverty project for people in Argyll & Bute.
He said: “People in poverty are more likely to have to use their rights to social care, because they often have fewer years of healthy life than others. It is vital that they are listened to and get the support they are entitled to. If the partnership board goes ahead with these cuts, we will write to the Scottish Government asking them to intervene and ensure that the board has acted properly.”
In their letter, the charities say they recognise the ‘extremely challenging’ financial position the partnership has been placed in by decisions made at Holyrood and Westminster, but that the proposed cuts aren’t the way to deal with it.
Takki Sulaiman said: “We have offered to work in partnership with the health and social care partnership to make sure they are working in a way that safeguards the human rights of everyone in Argyll & Bute.”