The Scottish government has announced plans to sponsor care home workers following the removal of the skilled worker visa pathway for social care staff in the UK.
At the Scottish National Party conference, First Minister John Swinney said the Scottish government would “step in” to support “hundreds of dedicated workers” so they can continue to work, pay taxes, and contribute to keeping Scotland’s care homes operating. He added they would be allowed to “start work immediately.”
Swinney noted that earlier changes had suspended new overseas applications under the social care worker visa, which had left many legitimately employed care workers in uncertainty. He asserted that Scotland’s older population should not suffer due to decisions made in Westminster.
In the same speech, he also announced that Scotland would establish a network of walk-in GP clinics. Initially, 15 centers would open across the country, staffed by GPs and nurses, operating daily from 12 pm to 8 pm with no appointments required. The plan is to expand the network over time, and he projected that it could deliver over one million extra GP appointments in the next year.
Swinney used the occasion to reiterate the case for Scottish independence, arguing that self-government is needed to address issues that, he claimed, are exacerbated by decisions made at the UK level. He emphasized that only Scotland, under its own leadership, could properly care for its people, and affirmed that refugees would be welcomed
Source: LIIE IMMIGRATION
