Procurement of Social Care Services

That the Parliament notes the 5% real-terms cut to the local authority settlement by the Scottish Government; further notes the demographic and financial challenges facing local government in the delivery of social care; recognises that these financial pressures have resulted in substantial reductions in service, with some care providers proposing changes to staff terms and conditions and pay cuts of up to 23%, leading to unprecedented industrial action; further notes the increasing postcode lottery of care, with differing criteria for eligibility and charges across Scotland; believes that the procurement of social care is characterised by short-term decisions based on reducing the cost of existing services rather than having a focus on the improvement, development and redesign of services to provide long-term value for money; further believes that quality and continuity of care is of primary importance and cannot be achieved on the cheap, and calls on the Scottish Government to bring forward a framework for social care to ensure consistency and raise standards for the benefit of some of the most vulnerable people in society.