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Update: West Dunbartonshire Community Links Workers  

  • Area of Work: The ALLIANCE
  • Type: News Item
  • Published: 26th March 2025

West Dunbartonshire is cutting 40% of Community Links Workers. The ALLIANCE urges the Scottish Government to step in and fill the gap.

Earlier this year, the ALLIANCE were informed there was a proposal to cut 40% from the budget for Community Links Workers in West Dunbartonshire.  This would reduce the provision from 9 FTE to 5 FTE. The decision was taken locally on Monday (24 March) to go ahead with these cuts.  

Community Links Workers (CLW) work with people on issues affecting their overall health and wellbeing. Poverty is the number one issue for referrals from GPs to the CLW’s, followed by housing and mental health. 

The provision of Links Workers is a Scottish Government commitment. 

The ALLIANCE, GMB Scotland Union and 60 local GPs, plus GPs from the Deep End practices have written to governments and health officials to oppose these proposed cuts, with a petition handed into the Scottish Parliament. 

This is a picture being repeated across Scotland, with health and social care partnerships cutting lifeline prevention services, despite Scottish Government policy focussing on a prevention system to help people live longer, healthier and fulfilling lives. This type of decision highlights the growing chasm between national policy rhetoric and the stark reality of the decision making happening at ground level. 

As a result of the decision on Monday, the ALLIANCE has written to the Scottish Government to urge them to fill this funding gap.  

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