Katy Gordon

In the last hustings of her campaign, Katy spoke to members of care organisations at the Glasgow Community Care Providers Forum in the Merchants Hall in Glasgow City Centre today.  She recognised the difficult job Scotland’s carers do in delivering services, which would cost £5.5 billion (!) if paid for by the state.  She stressed the benefits that free personal care of the elderly (a flagship Lib Dem policy of the last parliament) had brought to elderly citizens across Scotland.  She also highlighted the recent success at Westminster, where Lib Dems managed to amend the Pensions Bill to give 40,000 carers entitlement to the basic state pension.

Katy also laid out Lib Dem plans for the next parliament to provide an additional £15 million a year to support Scotland’s carers, acknowledging the needs to support young carers further, increase carer’s assessments and provide more respite care.

Well over 50 people from care provider organisations listened intently and raised key issues for the care community and Katy responded along with other panel members in a good tempered debate.