Achi news desk-
It is predicted that the closure will ensure annual savings of £1.5 million amid a black hole of £19.5m in the authority’s adult social care budget.
Campaigners described the result as “devastating”.
Residents of elderly care homes, many of them with dementia, will be relocated to a new building over the coming months and both homes are expected to cease operation by the end of October.
However, the only other care homes in the Clydesdale region are privately run facilities with the nearest council-run homes more than 20 miles away in East Kilbride.
Emma Koubayssi, a Save McClymont campaigner whose 92-year-old grandmother has lived in the council-owned home for more than five years, said: “This is devastating news. We are gutted and feel so disappointed by our politicians.
“This is social vandalism and all politicians are to blame for this situation. Make no mistake this will have a terrible effect on the current residents, while removing public care for the people of Clydedale in the future.
“The residents of McClymont, our family members, have been caught in the middle of a political row about who is to blame for the closure of this wonderful facility. The truth is that they are all to blame, the councilors in South Lanarkshire and the Scots The Government have let us down and we are so disappointed in all of them.
“I will never forget how badly they have let us down.”
More than 3,300 people had signed a petition to save McClymont, which is regularly praised by inspectors for the quality of its care.
On Saturday, around 100 people attended a rally in Lanark to protest against the closure of the home.
Stephen Smellie, Unison Branch Secretary, said that the Scottish Government had “chosen to look the other way”.
He added: “The people of Clydesdale know, just as everyone else does, including the council and the Scottish Government, that this decision to close the only care home run by the Council will in Clydesdale and relying on private sector care homes for the future gives the future. care at the mercy of an unreliable, unsustainable and poorer quality service.”
A South Lanarkshire IJB member voted through the closure on March 26, despite overwhelming opposition from a public consultation. He promised to take “all reasonable steps to try to reduce the impact on families”, but stressed that he had a statutory obligation to set a balanced budget.
On March 27, the IJB’s director of health and social care, Professor Soumen Sengupta, wrote to the Health Secretary, Neil Gray, saying they would “reconsider” closing the homes if the Scottish Government stepped in. help with additional funding.
Professor Sengupta said he was facing a shortfall of £33m in local health and social care services, including a recurring budget shortfall of £19.5m across adult social care in 2024/25.
The financial pressures facing health and social care across Scotland have been described as “the most challenging since devolution”, and Professor Sengupta warned that, according to current projections, the IJB is heading for further deficit of £9m in its adults and older people’s budgets by 2025/26.
Acknowledging that the Scottish Government faces “difficult choices”, Professor Sengupta said the IJB “recognizes that the scale of the funding gap means there are inevitable implications for what, how and for whom unless additional funding is provided . be provided in the near future.”
Campaigners have expressed frustration that the IJB has appealed for £33m in additional social care funding rather than just the £780,000 a year needed to keep McClymont running.
In a letter dated April 26, Ms Todd said “it would not be appropriate for me to interfere in the decisions of the IJB” but requested an “urgent meeting” with Professor Soumen and the chairman of the IJB “to seek certainty about the steps.” you intend to take to ensure that the residents of both homes continue to receive the support they deserve.”
He added: “The Scottish Government has no role in local authority decision-making. However, the NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care Budget 2024/25 includes an investment of £2 billion for social care and integration .
“This represents an increase of over £1 billion compared to 2021/22, which exceeds our commitment to increase funding for social care by 25% over the life of the parliament.
“We have protected and prioritized additional investment in social care despite a very challenging settlement in the Budget.”
