Group’s Move ‘Hits The Vulnerable’

Social workers in Glasgow say vulnerable people could be left out in the cold after a support team was evicted from its city centre base by managers. Earlier this month, Glasgow City Council split up its Homeless Persons Team in Osborne Street.

The team had included specialist groups of staff to tackle a range of issues, ranging from young asylum seekers to families at risk to people with mental health problems, under one roof. Those groups have been sent to three different locations around the city to make way for a management group.

Today workers warned people with mental and physical health problems were too frightened to visit a new site in a rundown area. Most services, including community care for the sick, moved to the Hamish Allan Centre, a hostel in Tradeston. Workers say relationships built up over years are being destroyed.

One social worker said: “We had a one-stop shop for social work, right in the centre of town where people felt safe coming. Colleagues who moved to the Hamish Allan already have folk saying they won’t be coming for help because they wouldn’t go near that place without a knife.”

The council defended the move, saying it would lead to better services. A spokesman said: “The vast majority of staff have been supportive of these changes. Not only will this allow staff to co-ordinate their work more effectively, but it will also bring services closer to people affected by homelessness.”

Staff raised their concerns with Glasgow MSP Tommy Sheridan. Today the Solidarity co-convener backed them, saying: “The staff understand the issues faced by homeless people and their voices should be heard in any change to services. The people in comfortable offices who merely talk about homelessness need to listen to those who actually work at the coalface.”