First Minister has no answers for social workers – Lib Dems

The First Minister had no answers for the 38,000 social workers facing an uncertain future after the Scottish Government said they would transfer them to the NHS under Government direction.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Tavish Scott MSP challenged Alex Salmond to explain the chaos surrounding this week’s announcement about social care.

Mr Scott pointed out that social workers would struggle to concentrate on caring for elderly people when their future had been thrown into uncertainty in a footnote on a Government press release.

Commenting, Mr Scott said: “Yesterday the Scottish Government said they would transfer social workers to the NHS under government direction. The Government also plans to scrap local police and fire boards and put them under Government direction. Council tax levels are directed nationally. School building has been given to a quango under ministerial control.

“On police, fire, education, council tax and now on social work, his Government always thinks it knows better than local people.

“There is an element of chaos in the Government’s plans for elderly people.

“Lord Sutherland said yesterday that “the time for talking is over”. But the Health Minister said she is setting up a new group as a “first step to beginning discussions”.

“Elderly people are still waiting for the care they need.

“But today 38,000 social work staff looking after the elderly across Scotland can’t concentrate on that because yesterday they had their futures thrown into doubt by a footnote on a Government press release.

“The First Minister had no answers about the future for these hard-working local staff.”