Motion: Progressive approach needed for Social Care provision

“Whereas this council recognises the longstanding issues of low pay and poor conditions of private care home and nursing home workers; the impact which the lack of integration across private care home providers had in delaying rollout of PPE and protections for care staff and residents at the beginning of the Covid pandemic; and the huge impact which staff shortages in the care sector are having on residents and our hospitals through inability to discharge patients into care.

This council commends the huge effort of all those who work to provide social care in particular in nursing and care home facilities;

We call upon Stormont and Westminster authorities to ensure adequate funding is provided to guarantee decent pay and remuneration, an end to the staffing crisis and the provision of quality social care for all those in need in our society;

Furthermore we call upon the Stormont Executive to bring forward proposals to bring all private social care provision into public ownership and subject to democratic accountability and management by workers, residents and wider society; bringing an end to a system where the interests of profit trump the needs of care workers, residents and relatives.”