02-06-2025
Care staff 'cheated and let down' as Aberdeenshire projects axed and dozens face redundancies
Care staff across Aberdeenshire 'feel cheated and let down' as dozens face redundancies in a major shake-up of projects for disabled people.
Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership have decided to shut down eight projects offering those with learning disabilities more activities in their local area.
The Can-Do Recycling and Shop in Fraserburgh, Woodwork Project at Aden Country Park and Buchan Day Opportunities at Crimond are among those to be axed.
It's part of a huge 'recovery plan' that aims to save the partnership millions.
Other services – such as home care, assisted transport and emergency responders – will also be reduced or stopped as health chiefs try to fill a £22 million black hole.
Members of the Integration Joint Board agreed the drastic scheme last week, with officials poised to carry out a further review to finalise the details.
And with dozens of jobs on line, Unison branch secretary Inez Kirk says staff who have 'invested time and commitment' into building up those projects now feel 'cheated'.
The eight learning disability projects will close in the coming months, with the partnership's scheme 'Be all you can be' being rolled out to fill in the gaps.
This means that once the changes are implemented, there will be two main hubs for day care services – one in Fraserburgh and one in Inverurie – and four 'satellite' bases.
Papers show about 20 people could lose their jobs in the process, which would potentially save the partnership nearly £590,000 per year.
This would be achieved both through voluntary severance and redundancies, with initial talks with staff understood to begin this month.
Speaking on behalf of those affected, Ms Inez said this is a blow to staff who have put a lot of work and dedication into getting those learning disability projects off the ground.
She said: 'I felt their heartbreak about what was happening.
'They've set up these projects and it's taken a long time to do that.
'The staff have dedicated so much time to these services, and have dealt through all the iterations, all the new projects and all the new ways of working.
'They have done everything they've been asked to do over the years, and now they feel cheated, they feel let down.'
Ms Kirk went on to warn of the widespread impact shutting down these projects would have on those who are most vulnerable.
Her words were echoed by Fiona Robertson, of the Disabled People Against Cuts group, who argued 'disabled people often make a useful target when cuts need to be made'.
Ms Kirk added: 'The issue that we have here is that these people are going to be impacted by many of the proposals.
'They may receive home care, they may receive transport, they may use day services – these are multiple impacts potentially hitting the same people.
'That is major, and we tend to look at things in isolation which is quite concerning.'
However, health chief Leigh Jolly reassured that these changes won't happen overnight and no one will be left without care.
