Fears over health and social care merger plan

Its councillors said they were also dismayed by a lack of consultation with those who will receive the new service and the workers who will deliver it.

The fears were brought up at a meeting in Edinburgh of Scotland’s 32 council leaders.

Integrating social work and health care is supported by the SNP and Labour, but Jim McCabe, Labour leader of North Lanarkshire, said he was concerned there could be a lack of democratic accountability.

He said under the proposals, governance in each health board area would be carried out by only three elected members and three members of the health board, whereas, at present, 35 councillors sat on the housing and social work committee in North Lanarkshire.

He went on: “There has been absolutely no consultation with the end users – those who will receive the care and their families,” he said.

“There has also been no consultation with the unions representing those who will work in the new system.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Our priority is to improve outcomes for people using services and we firmly believe integrating health and social care will achieve this.”