AN emergency motion opposing plans for the National Care Service is set to be debated at the upcoming Scottish Greens conference.
Glasgow councillor Anthony Carroll submitted the motion and it has been backed by the Scottish Greens health spokesperson Gillian Mackay MSP, with calls for money intended for the new service to be redirected to existing council social services.
The motion says the bill in its current form is "contrary to Green values".
Mackay said the pair wanted the bill's scope to be "radically reduced," to protect local accountability and remove the risk of centralisation of power.
READ MORE: John Swinney stands by National Care Service plans amid backlash
The move comes after Scotland's largest trade union body called for the withdrawal of the National Care Service bill and local authority umbrella body Cosla withdrew its support for the proposals amid pay concerns.
The motion to be debated on Saturday at the party conference in Greenock states: "After two years of negotiation and even before final consideration of stage two amendments, the SNP have lost confidence of major stakeholders. The bill is now contrary to Green values. This motion directs the party to respond accordingly."
"Conference believes that Scottish Green MSPs have striven to to bring our manifesto's radical vision for structural reform to care, however conference recognises the Scottish Government's bill for a National Care Service does not deliver that.
"Greens reaffirm our commitment to local accountability and delivery, and believes that the funding for re-structuring in the Scottish Government's plans could be better used to help deliver local social care services that have been under intense financial pressure."
READ MORE: Common Weal: Why we won't support the National Care Service
It continues: "Green values cannot be achieved by the current untenable National Care Service Bill; that the parts of the bill worth salvaging can be progressed in a radically reduced bill which focuses on support for unpaid carers and enhanced rights for care sector workers that on balance in its current form is now a net negative for the care sector.
"Conference agrees that our MSPs should urgently work with relevant stakeholders including trade unions and local authorities who have raised concerns, and in some cases oppose the bill, about the NCS to radically reduce the bill's scope, instead making it one that focuses on increasing support and rights to those providing care, including unpaid carers.
"If the re-scoping of the bill focusing on enhancing support and rights for those providing care is unable to achieve consent from key stakeholders and Parliament, and the bill is presented as it stands, then conference instructs Green MSPs to vote to oppose the National Care Service Bill."
Carroll told The Herald that there is "real concern" from councillors across Scotland on the accountability which could be take away at a local level if a National Care Service as proposed by the Scottish Government is introduced.
He argued that his party must stand for "the empowerment of local authorities who have local expertise and knowledge".
Mackay echoed the concerns cited by Carroll, before adding: "The proposed bill is far from what we want it to be and, its present form, we can't support it.
"We recognise that there are a lot of people, including trade unions and other stakeholders, who have serious concerns that urgently need to be addressed.
"There are definitely some positives within the bill that I hope MSPs from all parties would want to see enacted. For example Anne’s Law, which would give people living in care homes the right to see and spend time with loved ones, greater support for carers to take personalised respite breaks, and greater access to advocacy and information".
The Greens' health spokesperson stressed that the party want to see how the "good parts of this bill can be progressed without the unwanted centralisation that is being proposed".
The Health Secretary has previously vowed to “complete the job” despite Cosla and unions withdrawing their support for it.
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