Glasgow Care Crisis conference to plan action over cuts
In the last few weeks Glasgow City Council has announced it intends to close another two day centres for adults with learning disability and make 40% cut in funding to the Glasgow Association for Mental Health (GAMH) which provides support to hundreds of people every week in the city.
In recent years, there have been huge cuts in care support workers, day centres workers and community workers. Cordia, a council run company who provide home care in the city, have cut hundreds of home help jobs.
Grants and service agreements with charities and third sector care providers have taken hammering with the council using the new Self Directed Support policy as a way of saving money through cutting people’s individual care support packages.
The Charlie Reid Centre, for those with mental health problems, was closed in October 2014. Three day centres closed this time last year.
Care charges have either been introduced or increased for community alarms, older people day services, all under 65 adult care services and some home care services.
A conference will take place in Glasgow on 31 January to help build opposition to cuts in care services in the city.
The conference will see the formal launch of a new group called Glasgow Care Crisis which aims to unite those fighting cuts in mental health, learning disability and other care services. Marion Nisbet, of the Glasgow Care Crisis group, said: “The cuts in Glasgow are not smart or fair as they target vital services and will only put greater pressure on other services which are already under pressure, leading to higher spending down the line.
The meeting will be attended by those who rely on care services, their families, community campaigners and trade unions.
no cuts
Trade unions are also supporting the campaign. Brian Smith, UNISON Glasgow Branch Secretary, added:
“The trade unions have been arguing for a number years that council politicians have a choice – make the ConDem cuts or do not. We continue to urge them to use all available financial mechanisms to hold-off any further cuts whilst leading a fight to win more money for the city.
Our politicians should be defending social care services, not cutting them”
