THE Scottish government’s social care plans will not tackle the “prolonged crisis” in the sector and must be ditched, a public-sector union has demanded.

Unison, which represents thousands of social care workers, said the government should dump its proposed legislation, instead calling for a change to “the toxic combination of chronic underfunding over many years and the fragmented, market-led model of social care.”

The Scottish government’s National Care Service (Scotland) Bill is currently being considered by Holyrood’s health, social care and sport committee.

Unison said the Bill would not deliver the improvements required by people needing care and the staff delivering it, and it should be withdrawn.

The union called instead for Scotland’s councils to take over the social care system and run it on a “not-for-profit” basis.

Unison Scotland regional manager Simon Macfarlane said: “Unison is committed to a national care service, but not the version proposed.

“The Scottish government’s Bill fails to tackle the underlying causes of the prolonged crisis across the social services system.

“As it stands, those in need of care, their families and the workers in the sector are all set to be failed by this Bill.

“The Bill should be scrapped and the focus moved to delivering commitments such as funding fair work and sectoral bargaining.”

Earlier this month, GMB Scotland withdrew its support for the Bill, which does not compel employers to pay care workers fair wages.

Social Care Minister Maree Todd said: “We are committed to establishing a national care service board that delivers clear, consistent national care standards by the end of this parliamentary term.”