UNISON Scotland believes a major mistake in the provision care of the elderly was to allow profit to be part of service provision. The UK Government’s NHS and Community Care Act 1990 allowed private service provision into the system and while there has been some overall improvement in standards of care, when it goes wrong it goes badly wrong. Private providers have an eye to profit and this means cutting costs where they can. Staff wages and training or food costs, costs of outings and activities, etc., are all aspects of care which can affected. What usually follows is a decline in standards of care and residents suffering. It must be remembered that the new bodies are intended to improve standards, not just maintain them…
Scotland's biggest and liveliest public service trade union, representing workers delivering public and related services across Scotland.