The GSD have issued a statement questioning the future of Domiciliary Care and Home Support following the mutal termination of LifeCome Care's contract with the Govenrment. 

A statement from the GSD follows below:

The Government proudly announced in June 2024 that it had awarded a £3.8 million contract, with Minister Arias Vasquez hailing it as a major step forward—promising  better continuity of care and a seamless transition. Instead, from day one, it was chaos. 

From the outset, the opposition highlighted significant issues that emerged early in the  transition. The Government dismissed concerns as “teething problems,” accused us of  exaggerating, and even claimed we were manipulating facts. For months, the GSD has  demanded transparency on Domiciliary Care and Home Support, yet Minister Arias  Vasquez has dodged responsibility—deflecting to LifeCome Care, despite the  Government holding ultimate accountability and responsibility. 

Even last week in Parliament, she refused to answer questions. The people of Gibraltar  deserve the truth—not a Government scrambling to cover its tracks. 

Shadow Minster for Care, Atrish Sanchez notes, ‘The failure is undeniable. The contract  was awarded in June 2024, the transfer happened in September, yet basic preparations were  still missing. What was happening in those three months? Why was LifeCome allowed to  operate without a local business license until 17th October 2025? We flagged these issues  early, but we were ignored. We raised concerns about TUPE transfers, rotas, the faulty App,  missed care sessions, training, vetting and many more. Each time, the Minister dismissed  them, providing assurances that were never met. The result? Care workers struggling,  families in distress, and a system in collapse.’ 

Now we hear from the Unions that neither the Government nor LifeCome were even  aware of existing collective agreements for workers. How is that possible? The  Government failed to understand the basic conditions of the workforce it was meant to  protect. 

It took public pressure and the looming threat of strike action to force the Minister’s hand.  Less than 24 hours after she refused to answer a range of questions on Domiciliary Care  and Home Support raised by Atrish Sanchez MP in Parliament, Minister Arias Vasquez,  who called it a ‘mutual agreement’, was left with no choice but to terminate a contract  that can only be described as shambolic from start to finish – the culmination of a thinly  veiled debacle.  

No spin can hide the truth: this has been a disaster under the Minister’s watch. She was  “delighted” with LifeCome - until she was forced to show them the door. On 3rd February 

2025, she claimed complaints were going down and satisfaction remained high - assuring  that service levels had not deteriorated. Yet just seven days later, the Government’s own  legal letter to LifeCome advising them that the Government was not satisfied with the  standards of service being provided must have stated just the very opposite. A month  later, the contract was terminated. 

Now, she blames “cultural differences.” If that was an issue, why wasn’t it identified  before awarding the contract? Why weren’t mechanisms put in place to address this  during the months of June to September, before the transfer? The answer is simple: there  was no real oversight - just blind faith that everything would somehow work out. Because  of that failure, service users, families and workers have suffered. 

Now, the Government openly admits it is in “rescue mode,” bypassing normal tendering  procedures to rush through another multi-million-pound contract. This crisis is entirely  of their own making. 

Ms Atrish Sanchez stresses, ‘The real question is: what happens next? Who will be  responsible for delivering this service? How will that decision be made? And most  importantly, what safeguards will be in place to prevent another disaster – one that has  already impacted so many lives in our community for months? The Government must  urgently set out clear, transparent plans for these critical services.’ 

The GSLP campaigned on the promise of getting the job done. But Minister Arias Vasquez  isn’t just responsible for getting it done —she must get it done properly. This is not about  politics. This is about people’s lives. She cannot afford to fail again. Not when it comes to  our elderly. Not when it comes to our most vulnerable.