The city that does not care: Bristol council to close its homecare
service
29 June 2011
Unite, Britain's biggest union, has expressed outrage that every
homecare assistant currently employed directly by Bristol city
council will lose their job as the work is contracted out to
cheaper private sector providers.
Unite regional co-ordinating officer, Steve Preddy, said:
"Hundreds of homecare workers, mostly women who have dedicated much
of their working lives to serving older people who are housebound,
terminally ill or otherwise unable to care for themselves, have
been lied to and have now found out they are to lose their
jobs.
"It is shameful that Bristol city council has decided to abandon
providing services directly to older people who are in need of care
at home."
Homecare assistants were personally assured in meetings last
October, by the executive member for care services, cllr John
Rogers, that the council would not cease to provide vital homecare
services and all jobs were safe.
Shortly before the local elections held in May of this year,
council Leader Barbara Janke gave that same assurance, little more
than eight weeks later, the Liberal Democrats have gone back on
their word and on 27 June revealed that the homecare service is to
close.
Mr Preddy continued: "It is shocking that Liberal Democrats can
so easily condemn homecare workers and their service users to a
future of instability, and uncertainty.
"Local people will not be prepared to allow the city council to
turn Bristol into the ‘city that does not care’. Our union will
work hard to bring together local people, service users, homecare
assistants and politicians from any party who are willing to oppose
this. Together, we will not allow the council to get away with this
closure of the homecare service."
ENDS
Contact: Ciaran Naidoo on 07768 931315 or Steve Preddy on 07764
467443.
Notes to Editors:
- In 2007 Unite ran a massive campaign against the privatisation
of home care services in Bristol. Local people responded to the
campaign by ousting cllr John Keilly from his seat in the Easton
ward and using their votes in the local elections to save the home
care service. The result was that Liberal Democrats lost control of
the city council and the privatisation plans were scrapped.
- Research published on 26 June 2011 by Age UK revealed that the
average saving which councils across England plan to make in
homecare spending in 2011 is 8.4 per cent. Bristol city council’s
closure of the service represents a far higher cut back in
expenditure see the Guardian article:
Social care funding crisis looming, says Age UK
- The Dilnot Commission report into funding for the care of the
elderly is due to report in the next week and will spark a national
debate about how our society can effectively care for people in
need. The Lib Dems in Bristol will not wait for the outcome of that
debate.
- The Equality and Human Rights Commission is also on the case of
poor care for older people by private sector providers. The full
results of the commission’s investigations are not due until
October, but it issued an interim report last week which revealed
massive failures to protect the human rights of older people
receiving care in their own homes throughout the country.
