THE country’s social care system is “no place for profit,” delegates at Unison’s conference in Liverpool heard today.

National retired members representative Rosie McGregor told conference that it was “a scandal in one of the richest countries in the world that politicians ignore people who need care and the workers who provide” it.

She said “privatisation is the root cause” behind the 165,000 vacancies across the country.

“The only feasible solution is a national care service,” she added.

John Jones, on behalf of the NEC, said: “Hundreds of thousands of people are not able to get the service they deserve.

“Our new Make Care Work Campaign provides a roadmap for a future Labour government to put a national care service in place.”

Tony Slaven from Scotland called for a “national care service that reflects our values rather than the profit motive of the current service.”

He told the conference that the Scottish government was putting through a Bill “that will see 75,000 public service workers outsourced and where care will be contracted out rather than being provided directly.”

Mr Slaven added: “We need to end the notion of care as a commodity. This Bill must be scrapped.”

Delegates also recognised the need for those receiving care to choose who they want to provide the care for them.

Graeme Ellis, from the National Disabled Members Group, reminded delegates that this was not just “care in the house. It enables people to have a life outside too.”

Sean Fox, from Haringey council, said: “We need a service that does what it says on the tin. It needs to be national, provide quality care and it needs to be a service that is not for profit.”

Delegates from Wales outlined the progress being made in the country towards a national care service in partnership with the Labour government, employers and the union.

Jan Tomlinson, the convener for Unison Cymru/Wales, said: “We are creating a climate in Wales that can help to bring about real change.”

Ms Tomlinson said that to achieve this the union was clear that “there was no room for profit in social care.”

She added: “If we achieve this we could transform the lives of thousands of care workers and service users.”

Unison Cymru/Wales has launched a report with the Association for Public Service Excellence about how a national care service in Wales could be delivered through local government.