Drive the profiteers from the care sector – Public ownership now!
By a Scottish care home nurse and Unison member
In the so-called programme for government announced by Nicola Sturgeon in September, she committed the SNP administration to pursue plans for a National Care Service.
In light of Covid-19 exposing the inadequacy of private care providers to meet the challenge of a public health emergency, it has become necessary for a review of how elderly care is given in modern Scotland.
The reality of multiple private providers means that any plans to nationalise Scotland’s nursing homes would require political will way beyond the scope of the government’s statement.
That said, on September 3, the government bought the HC-One nursing home on Skye – Home Farm – for £900,000.
A direct response to the failings at that facility during the pandemic and the reality that HC-One could not solve the endemic problems that led to them having their license to provide care suspended by the Care Commission in July.
This “nationalisation “ has been barely acknowledged since all care was handed over to NHS Highlands and Islands.
For staff a transfer onto NHS terms and conditions will represent a step forward, no longer penalised with no pay if off sick, the issues cited by HC-One as affecting their problems prior to the pandemic, recruiting and retaining staff, may be eased by security of employment, a better wage and protections at work.
Similarly the integration of the home into the wider organisation of the NHS should mean greater access to all necessary resources needed to meet the needs of the residents.
HC-One’s failure should prompt immediate review of all such provision across Scotland. There has been a failure to admit that the way private care is delivered, from a beleaguered staff of generally low paid workers, so companies can make profits for their shareholders, is the problem.
The tentative steps on Skye need to be repeated on a national basis – with minimal compensation for the private companies – if the SNP are really be true to the their own programme for government.
public ownership
Throughout the Covid-19 crisis Socialist Party Scotland has called for the public ownership of care homes.
For far too long essential services have been run for profit by private companies. The limits of private provision are clear to see, the chronic staff shortages, as much a result of the poor pay on offer let alone the trying conditions of employment, long hours, no contractual sick pay, means the current crisis is just business as normal.
The service is underfunded and understaffed. Expecting private providers to solve these endemic issues, when they want to make profits at the same time, is frankly naïve.
Trade unions should demand that the action taken on Skye should be the start of a nationwide process where there is genuine integration of social care into the NHS under democratic control of workers and the wider community.
