Nicola Sturgeon has been called on to back a £15 an hour wage for social care staff amid warnings of a crisis in the sector.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar urged the First Minister to back an immediate rise to £12 an hour as a first step towards the higher sum.
His comments came in response to a damning report by Audit Scotland, which warned that social care services are in crisis.
The watchdog said there are “huge challenges” facing the sector and insisted reform “cannot wait” for Ministers to set up their proposed National Care Service.
The briefing stated: “The 209,690 people working in social care are under immense pressure, and the sector faces ongoing challenges with recruitment and retention.
“Staff are not adequately valued, engaged, or rewarded for their vitally important role.
“The workforce is predominantly female and poor terms and conditions for staff contribute to recruitment difficulties, rising sickness absence and high vacancy levels.
“This puts the capacity, sustainability, and quality of care services at a considerable risk.”
Citing the report at First Minister’s Question, Sarwar said:
“We had a staffing crisis even before the pandemic and now services are reporting they do not have the staff they need. 60% of housing support services, 59% of care at home services, 55% of care rooms for older people, not having the staff they need. This is a stark report that makes clear a lack of action now presents serious risks.”
He said a “48p” rise for care staff “simply won’t cut it”, adding: “Will she back our plan for an immediate increase to £12 an hour for care workers, rising to £15?”
The First Minister responded: “We are taking action now, as we've progressed the plans for a national care service. We have a commitment to increase public investment in social care by 25% over the parliament, and we have started on that journey.
“We have also taken steps to increase the pay of those in the adult social care workforce.”
She also said Sarwar’s reference to 48p misrepresented her Government’s position: “That's 48 pence an hour, and actually the increase is 12.9% compared to March 2021.”
She added: Does that go far enough? No.”
Sarwar continued his attacks: "The SNP have been in government for 15 years. There is no one else to blame.
“We have been calling for a national care service for over a decade, but it can't now be used as a government slogan to delay action until 2026.
“Will the First Minister take the burden off family carers by restarting respite services, pause commissioning to allow focus on the delivery of social care, end non-residential care charges now, and finally reward our frontline heroes with a pay increase they deserve?”
Sturgeon, in a nod to the looming local government elections, criticised Labour’s record on pay when they ran Glasgow.
“I can't allow this moment to pass without reminding Anas Sarwar that, yes, we have been in office in national government in this Parliament for 15 years.
“For much of that, in for example Glasgow City Council, Labour were in administration denying female workers the equal pay to which they were entitled.
“It took an SNP administration in that council to deliver equal pay to women workers across Glasgow.”
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