Two former health secretaries have joined forces to call on the Scottish Government to ban zero hours contracts as part of their proposed new National Care Service.
Alex Neil and Malcolm Chisholm have backed a campaign by relatives of patients, academics and politicians calling for an end to the exploitative regime in social care jobs. The sector is in the midst of a recruitment crisis and campaigners believe potential applicants are being put off by poor pay and working conditions.
Humza Yousaf, the current health secretary, has been urged to make the eradication of zero hours contracts a key part of the National Care Service Bill which is currently going through the Scottish Parliament. Neil served as Cabinet for Health and Social Care in Alex Salmond’s SNP government between 2012 and 2014. Chisholm had the same role in the Labour-led coalition between 2001 and 2004.
