Graham Simpson took part in a Scottish Parliament debate on the future of care home provision in South Lanarkshire. Graham had signed a petition by Monica Lennon to ensure that this debate could take place.
The debate in the Scottish Parliament came against the backdrop of news that South Lanarkshire Council plans to reduce the number of its care home facilities.
Graham Simpson MSP said “I was delighted to sign the petition to have this important debate in the Scottish Parliament. Increasingly, trends show that people in need of long-term care will have their needs better met in a nursing home offering clinical care. Council care homes do not have on site 24-hour clinical support. South Lanarkshire Council’s plans are based upon increasing choice.
“In the future the Council will be able to deliver a mixture of residential, transitional and nursing care provision. Transitional care beds were not previously an option.
“It is very easy to criticise Councils, especially when they are not of your political persuasion. But political opposition should not undermine years of evaluation and policy implementation in local services. I think South Lanarkshire Council is on the right track on this issue and it is a well-trodden path started under a Labour council administration”.