CAMPAIGNERS yesterday called for an halt to cuts to services for vulnerable people in Scotland's biggest city.

A conference was held by the Glasgow Care Crisis, an umbrella group of organisations affected by the cuts, to hear concerns about the impact of service closures and cuts for people with mental health problems, learning disabilities and the elderly.

Paul Anderson, who campaigned to save the now-closed Charlie Reid Centre, which was a drop-in mental health centre, said: "We are trying to get people together from all organisations that have been affected by the cuts - such as mental health and learning disability services.

"The Charlie Reid centre was really an oasis for people who suffered from mental health issues. It was a model example of how such as service should be run but it was taken away and what we have left is statutory support, which is much more minimal."

He added that people were now "slipping through the net" and he had noticed an increased numbers of people being admitted to hospital.

"Not having the centre there has made it more difficult for these people to get out of crisis," he said.

Disability campaigner Marion Nisbet said: "We have seen a stripping away of services for the most vulnerable which is just causing heartache and misery.

"We are now trying to do what we did with the bedroom tax and organise local people and vulnerable people into action and not wait for the politicians."

Brian Smith, Glasgow branch secretary at Unison, which hosted the conference, said the way in which adults with mental health issues or learning disabilities were being treated was "absolutely shocking".

A spokesman for Glasgow City Council said: "It has to be acknowledged that the council's available budget has reduced by huge amounts in recent years and has also reduced as a proportionate share of the national budget.

"However, despite this considerable financial challenge, care and support needs continue to be met in an appropriate manner.

"We fully acknowledge that the way services are provided is changing thanks in main to the introduction of personal budgets and self-directed support, which is being increasingly welcomed by service users.

"But there is now also a far greater focus on early intervention and prevention as well as encouraging recovery and reablement so people feel equipped to move on from requiring social care support."