UNISON’s Scottish secretary Lilian Macer said: “Today’s Scottish budget does not go far enough to address the deepening crisis across public services.
“This budget fails local government. Scotland’s councils have already borne the brunt of many years of cuts and this budget fails to give them the investment they urgently need to deliver the essential services our communities rely on.
“Social care staff will continue to be paid pennies above the minimum wage despite doing skilled, demanding and emotionally tough work. This lets down those receiving care and does nothing to improve recruitment in a sector on its knees.
“The ripple effect from the failure to get to grips with social care will be felt throughout the NHS with delayed discharges and growing pressure on health service staff. Hospitals cannot function properly if there aren’t enough care workers in the communities.
“Our NHS is already struggling. We have the worst waiting lists since devolution and the health service does not have enough staff to deliver vital services. This is distressing for patients and puts enormous strain on NHS staff, who are being asked to cope with impossible workloads.
“Public services sit at the heart of a fairer Scotland and the government’s priority should be to properly fund them.”