Sturgeon warned of ‘serious risks’ without urgent action to improve social care

Scottish Labour Anas Sarwar said the staffing crisis in the sector has existed since before the pandemic.

A ‘stark’ has report raised concerns about social care (Joe Giddens/PA0 (PA Wire)

Nicola Sturgeon has been urged to take quick action to increase pay in the social care workforce, after a report said the system needs urgent improvements.

During First Minister’s Questions, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said there are “serious risks” if the issue is not dealt with soon.

The First Minister said the Government is already improving pay and is looking to go further as it moves ahead with plans for a National Care Service.

On Thursday, Audit Scotland released a report warning there are “huge challenges facing the sustainability of social care”, saying reform “cannot wait” for the Government to set up the National Care Service.

Anas Sarwar said a lack of action would present ‘serious risks’ (Jane Barlow/PA) (PA Wire)

Mr Sarwar said: “We had a staffing crisis even before the pandemic and now services are reporting they do not have the staff they need.

“This is a stark report that makes clear a lack of action now presents serious risks.”

He called on the Government to back Labour’s plans for an immediate pay increase to £12 an hour.

Mr Sarwar added: “We have been calling for a National Care Service for over a decade but it can’t now be used as a Government slogan to delay action until 2026.”

Ms Sturgeon welcomed the Audit Scotland report and said the Government is aware of the urgent need to reform social care.

She said ministers will establish the National Care Service before the end of the current session of Parliament.

The First Minister said: “In the meantime, we are increasing investment in social care.

“We are increasing the pay of those who work in social care, because recruitment and retention and the valuing of the social care workforce is an important part of what we need to do.”

Nicola Sturgeon said the Scottish Government is already taking action (Fraser Bremner) (PA Wire)

Pay has increased 12.9% compared to March 2021, she said.

The First Minister continued: “An increase of 12.9% is actually what we have already delivered.

“Does that go far enough? No. And we have said that we want it to go further.”

The Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh (RCPE) also warned about the impact of social care workforce shortages on Thursday.

The college said it is leading to rising numbers of delayed discharges in hospitals, putting further pressure on the NHS.

Professor Andrew Elder, president of RCPE, said: “We call on the Scottish Government to urgently prioritise workforce over service redesign or integration for the moment, and move even more quickly to build an appropriately trained social care workforce.

“It is only by doing this that we can hope to build sustainable systems that minimise unnecessary admissions to hospital, help people to get home from hospital without unnecessary delay, and avoid our ‘winter pressures’ lasting all the year round.”