Scottish Care notes the announcement of a Partnership agreement between Scottish Government, local government and the NHS about accountability arrangements for the National Care Service (NCS).
As the representative body for the majority of organisations that provide the actual frontline care and support which people across Scotland use every day, what matters most to us is that the experience of services and supports are changed for the better.
The Feeley Review which had been widely welcomed recognised that the current system was not working and that change, and reform was needed, suggesting that a National Care Service be established. We cannot forget the lessons of those who shared their story and presume by making slight changes to reform that we are going to achieve the outcomes people want.
We note that local government organisations will continue to retain staff employment and their control over assets. However, Scottish Care members employ the majority of the 220,000 people who work in social care across Scotland and what matters to them is that their terms and conditions for the work they do are equitable, fair and dignified. It is also important that the systems they work in create the conditions for them to deliver meaningful care and support. It is therefore absolutely critical as we move forward with a new NCS Bill that the urgent changes to contracting and commissioning are prioritised.
We note that new governance arrangements will be introduced to ensure quality and local flexibility. It is imperative that these structures have the voice of those who provide, work and use social care and support services at their heart and not the usual suspects of local and national political leadership.
What matters most is that real change happens and that we do not fall back into old predictable ways of working which have over the years achieved so little for those who use care and support services and those who provide them.
Scottish Care and its members will continue to work constructively with the new arrangements and plans and will continue to put people before process.
