Demands for Edinburgh careworkers to be given 'immediate' pay rise they were promised in April

CARE workers in the Capital must be given their promised pay rise without further delay, opposition politicians have demanded.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman announced in April all care workers were to receive an “immediate” 3.3 per cent increase in recognition of their hard work during the Covid crisis - but care staff in Edinburgh have still not had it.

The Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (IJB) which is in charge of social care says the Scottish Government has not given it the cash.

Lothian Labour MSP Sarah Boyack said: “This is no way to reward the hard work, dedication and risks our care staff have taken during the pandemic.

“The funding to deliver the promised increase must be passed to EIJB as a matter of urgency to ensure these workers are given all the financial help and appreciation they deserve.

“The Health Secretary should not have made such a promise without checking that the funds were in place to enabled this increase to be delivered.”

Tory health spokesman and Lothian MSP Miles Briggs said carers were being “shortchanged” by Ms Freeman.

He said: “Given the financial difficulties EIJB was in before, she was fully aware they were looking at making huge cuts so then to add further pressures and not fully fund it is not right. It’s time the government provided the funding to live up to the promises it has made.”

And Alex Cole-Hamilton, Edinburgh Western MSP and Lib Dem health spokesman, said: “Care workers themselves and the public at large will take a dim view of anybody seeking to gain political capital by showering care workers in much-needed pay increases, only then to withhold the money. The IJB and the Scottish Government need to sort this out immediately and make good on what was promised.”

A Scottish Government spokeswoman said IJBs had been given additional funding of £8.8 million to deliver the promise.

She said: “Our care sector workers are doing incredible work – often in stressful and difficult circumstances – and we expect IJBs to deliver and put in place the necessary arrangements so that payments to staff are made in full. Without that we will need to consider a different mechanism to get this money to Scotland’s care workers.

“We will continue to engage with IJBs to address any immediate financial challenges.”