Social Care and the Scottish Human Rights Bill – Consultation event
Zoom, 3-5pm, 31^st August 2023

Join us online to discuss social care and the proposed Scottish Human Rights Bill.

The Scottish Government has published a Scottish Human Rights Bill consultation. This is an ambitious step for human rights in Scotland because the Bill will embed (“incorporate”) rights into Scots law.  If done well, this could improve rights-based decision making across the country and make it easier for people to name and claim their rights.  The purpose of the Scottish Government’s consultation is to share their proposals for the Bill and for people to tell them what they think. This will then inform how they develop the Bill.

The Scottish Government’s proposal is to incorporate four United Nations treaties into Scots law, recognise and include the right to a healthy environment, and make sure the rights set out in the Bill are available to everyone equally. The four treaties are:

• The International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR).
• The International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (ICERD).
• The Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).
• The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD).

This online event will have a particular focus on social care. Social care engages many different human rights standards and principles, like:

• The rights to independent living, health, work and education.
• Choice, control and participation in decision-making.
• Information and communication.
• Accountability
• Equality and non-discrimination.
• Budgeting
• Dignity and respect.

Event participants will learn more about the Scottish Government’s proposals for the Bill, discuss why it matters and how it relates to social care, and how you might want to respond to the Scottish Government consultation.

Join us online (Zoom) from 3pm to 5pm on Thursday 31 August 2023.

Please register for the event by following this link. The deadline for registration is Wednesday 23 August 2023. If you have any problems, email [email protected].

This event is organised in partnership by the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE), the Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland (CCPS), Disability Equality Scotland, Scottish Care, and the National Carer Organisations (Carers Scotland, Carers Trust Scotland, Coalition of Carers in Scotland, MECOPP, Shared Care Scotland, and the Scottish Young Carers Service Alliance).

The 2023 Global Ageing Network conference is coming to Glasgow on 7-8 September and the registration deadline is only 4 weeks away! This conference is a great opportunity to connect with other professionals in the social care sector and learn about innovative initiatives from around the world.

The conference theme is “Care About Our Future: Global Symposium for Sustainable Care and Support” Keynote speakers, panellists and workshop presenters from around the world will discuss a variety of topics related to sustainable care and support, including workforce trends, technology, and policy. There will also be panel discussions and workshops to provide you with the opportunity to network with other professionals and learn about new ideas.

Tickets are still available! Members of leading organisers (Scottish Care & National Care Forum) are able to take advantage of discounted rates.

To register, please visit: https://globalageing2023.com/delegate-registration/

The registration deadline is 17 August.

In addition to the main conference, there are a number of exciting events taking place before and after, including:

• Scottish Golf Opportunity – 5 September
• International Social Care Workforce Summit – 6 September
• Scottish Ceilidh – 8 September

We hope to see you in Glasgow in September!

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.