Lilian Macer

Congress welcomed the move from the institutional care of people suffering from severe mental health conditions but set out measures to ensure mental health provision in the community is properly resourced to meet the increased demands.

UNISON’s Scottish Convener, Lilian Macer, seconded a motion from the STUC Disabled Workers Conference with a warning that unless the community infrastructure is fully funded, it will not deliver for our most vulnerable within society.

She said that the myth that the recession has not impacted on the health service is simply not true, with over 4000 staff leaving the NHS in Scotland last year, leaving it under greater pressure to improve service delivery with fewer staff.

“Health Boards again need to produce 3% efficiency savings of nearly £400m and the easy target is the “Cinderella Service” that is the provision of care for patients with enduring and chronic mental health problems,” warned Lilian. “It is important that the assessment of both clinical and social need comes before the false efficiencies that see Community Mental Health underfunded, compromising staff and patients alike.”