- Conference
- 2013 National Women's Conference
- Date
- 18 October 2012
- Decision
- Carried
Conference condemns the ongoing political drive to increase the proportion of domiciliary care jobs, which are done by women, being outsourced to the private sector. All the evidence shows that the privatisation of domiciliary care services results in reduced service provision to the most vulnerable and the reduction in the terms and conditions of our women members. It also risks exacerbating the problem of elder abuse with cost cutting leading to a reduction in standards, inadequate training, very poor terms and conditions, high staff turnover and inconsistency of care. The closure of day centres, cuts to other essential services and the Government’s ‘personalisation agenda’ – where older women are given cash to arrange and pay for care in their own homes – also leaves them isolated and more vulnerable to abuse.
Conference calls on the National Women’s Committee to work with UNISON structures to continue the campaign to organise women workers in this sector and to support ongoing UNISON partnership initiatives, such as those taking place in Northern Ireland with Health Trusts, that are designed to support and extend the in-house service.