A-Infos (en) Britain, Aanarchist journal Direct Action #40 - national: The ‘caring’ face of New Labour

Service cuts, privatisation and casualisation -- To suggest that Local Authority 
social care services have taken a hammering in the last 10 years would be a 
major understatement. Echoing changes that have occurred in the NHS, New Labour 
policies have not only resulted in mass privatisation, but also a comprehensive 
deterioration in the quality of care provided to vulnerable people living in the 
community. ---- To provide some background and context: ---- Since the 1990 NHS 
and Community Care Act was introduced, local authorities have been required to 
purchase care services based on the principle of 'best value'. In the ensuing 
period, central government grants have been incrementally shaved in real terms.

The combined effect of these factors is that private sector provider services 
have been preferred simply because they are cheaper and don't operate to local 
government terms and conditions, partly because of a greatly diminished union 
input. Widespread redundancies have resulted as statutory provision is rendered 
obsolete by market forces. Use of casual agency support staff is now also the 
norm in both the private and the few remaining statutory services.

So what is the impact of this on service quality?

Many people who need help in the community have specialist support requirements, 
such as learning/physical disabilities, age-related or mental health needs.

Obviously, they require a consistent, trained and focused team. Extensive use of 
inexperienced and often poorly trained casual workers has meant that continuity 
of care is seriously compromised. Agencies tend to have a high staff turnover, 
and often service users are never sure from one week to the next who will be 
supporting them.

The damaging effect on the quality of service delivery has been confirmed by a 
number of high-profile investigations into the failings of social care services. 
Against a backdrop of funding cuts however, it is difficult to see things improving.

Nationally, recruitment and retention of frontline support staff is now becoming 
a major problem in the grossly devalued social care workforce; particularly so 
in the profit-driven, poorly-paid private sector.

The wider privatisation agenda also assists the powers-that-be by weakening the 
bargaining position of the remaining local authority workforce as efficiently as 
any of the most draconian anti-union laws. In a climate of competitive 
commissioning, those demanding decent pay and conditions are warned that they 
are pricing themselves out of a job. Attempts to remove protected local 
government pension rights have been well-documented previously, and further 
attacks are likely as the industrial muscle of unions is progressively weakened.

The introduction of laughably-named Fair Access to Care Services legislation has 
meant that some groups of vulnerable people are now being excluded from 
receiving a service under new criteria. A recent survey indicated that 
nationally up to 15% of people presently using homecare services will be no 
longer eligible to do so. Across the country, care homes, day services and other 
valuable community-based advice/support services are being systematically cut back.

Whilst the public service union UNISON continues to fund New Labour with 
political levies paid by its members, it should be clear that the like of Brown, 
and Blair before him, are guilty of implementing policies which have resulted in 
both worsening pay and conditions for Local Authority workers, and a significant 
reduction in the standard of service provided to the local community.

To add insult to injury, local government staff were recently offered a 2% wage 
rise. In real terms, this amounts to a pay cut with inflation currently running 
at 4.8%. The vast majority of employees have rejected this derisory offer, and 
industrial action looks inevitable as we go to press. It is hoped that this will 
not only provide a platform for care workers to demonstrate the extent of their 
feelings at the injustices perpetrated against them, and those who they support, 
but will also provide a much needed opportunity for activists to build and 
spread solidarity and resistance.
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