Trade unionists, service users, carers, community groups and members of the public are gathering in Glasgow today to lobby against damaging social care cuts in the city.
This is Glasgow’s first council meeting since the election, and members of the Defend Glasgow Services campaign – a group set up by UNISON, other trade unions, community organisations and community campaigners to fight the cuts – will urge councillors to make personalisation a positive choice, not a cuts agenda.
Brian Smith, of UNISON’s Glasgow City branch, said: “It’s time for our elected officials to listen to what’s really going on across the city, to hear how people are hurting as a result of these cuts, and to be brave enough to change it.
“We support the principle that everyone should have choice and control over their care, but this has to be a real choice, not the only option because all of the services have been cut.”
The Defend Glasgow Services campaign group is calling on the personalisation process to be halted, for funding to be maintained and for meaningful and genuine consultation with service users to take place.
Mandy McDowall, UNISON’s regional organiser for social work, said: “People are concerned and angry about Glasgow council using personalisation of care services as cover for budget cuts – rather than empowering users and carers.
“UNISON believes that the personalisation and transformation of social care has been introduced without adequate funding, with the focus being on reducing the cost of supporting individuals and reducing the proportion of provision in the public sector and potentially the voluntary sector.
“Glasgow really needs to get things right with personalisation before it rolls it out further.”
Simon MacFarlane, UNISON’s regional organiser for the community and voluntary sector, said: “These cuts are hitting the most vulnerable the hardest and we need to ensure funding for these vital services is maintained.
“The services being provided to people across Glasgow have turned into a postcode lottery and it’s not good enough. We need services that people can rely on and we’re calling for fairness, transparency and an end to social care cuts.”