A conference on the future of social care in Scotland has heard that reform of the sector must remain a national focus despite slipping timelines to establish a National Care Service, as the need to reframe conversations on the sector are more important than ever.

The BBC reported yesterday that the Bill to establish a National Care Service has been effectively paused, with a Stage 1 parliamentary debate – due to take place later this month – now pushed to June.

A panel of experts speaking at a Scottish Policy Conference on the future of social care in Scotland says the next few weeks will be crucial in reshaping the sector for the better – but they fear that much-needed reform may now fall to the wayside.

The Chief Executive of the Coalition of Care and Support Providers (CCPS), Rachel Cackett, told attendees that “all bets are now off” for the future of social care reform:

“If the delay is going to happen, we at CCPS welcome this as long as this additional time is used to improve the bill and it’s not just a pause for the leadership election, or indeed a void in which the need for social care reform sinks yet again into the shadows.

“One of the examples that’s been given to us very strongly is a real concern that this could go the way of Dilnot Commission [in England]. It got put on the shelf and never went anywhere.

“If there’s going to be a pause then great – let’s use it well. Please do not just let this disappear.”

Proposals to set up a National Care Service have been met with high profile challenges from three parliamentary committees, trade unions, councillors, representative groups of care workers, social workers and service providers and charities since its introduction last June.

While virtually all stakeholders support reform of the sector, concerns have been raised about a lack of detail in the legislation that has left providers, staff and people who receive support facing an uncertain future.

Others have pointed to a lack of human rights focus and flaws within the co-design process as reasons for the legislation to be paused.

Many people with lived experience want a National Care Service to be up and running by 2027, due to continued concerns about the current system and a desire to see more national accountability.

All three candidates to replace Nicola Sturgeon as First Minister have said they would like to revisit the plans.

Speaking today at the Scottish Policy Conference, Donald Macaskill, Chief Executive of Scottish Care, said the focus must now be on actions “to uphold social care and rescue social care from the state of collapse it’s now in”, adding:

“I’m less and less interested in this Bill to be honest and I’m much more interested in having a sector that is sustainable and survivable by the time we get through to the end of this current parliament. We are in such a critical situation.”

Mr Macaskill told conference attendees that the sector must return to the “amazing” findings of the Feeley Review, to begin again and seize the opportunity of the upcoming Human Rights Bill to create real change:

“I want us to start and use the next few weeks as an opportunity to try to collectively articulate what a human right to social care looks like and use the opportunity of a new human rights bill.

“Reform, we have all of us wanted for so many years – we’ve expressed the direction, we’ve intimated the desire; ethical commissioning, a workforce which is fairly treated and valued with a return and a wage which is recognising of their skills and their abilities and framework, which is ultimately built on people having voice and which removes the vested interests we have been curbed by for so many years.”

Such vested interests have curtailed the rollout of ‘lifechanging’ Self-Directed Support (SDS) legislation, which gives people greater choice and control of how they plan and arrange the support they need, according to Dr Macaskill.

In its response to a consultation on an SDS improvement plan, Self-Directed Support Scotland – a national group representing organisations run by and for disabled people – said people who use SDS must be at the centre of all decision making and the power dynamic in delivery must be addressed as a priority.

Pauline Lunn, Director of In-Control Scotland – a national charity which is trying to make SDS more accessible to all – told today’s conference attendees that any reform must have the tenants of Self-Directed Support at its centre:

“SDS is not going away – it has to be a really core part of the conversation going forward when we think about social care policy and the way social care is developed.

“Respect, independence, freedom, having the ability to collaborate and participate, dignity, and being involved in decisions about their lives and making informed choices – these are all critical in whatever a new National Care Service will look like and they have to underpin this development.

“We’ve got the luxury in Scotland of a really passionate and engaged civil society, who are really motivated to make change happen. It’s crucial we harness that energy to make sure a National Care Service is developed in a way that works for everyone.”

In her speech to close the end of the first half of the conference’s proceedings, Linda Riley, a member of Inclusion Scotland’s People-Led Policy panel, called for those with lived experience to be at the centre of all future discussions about the sector:

“We need to be respected. We are part of society, we have something to give. Give us a chance – listen to us and help us to help you.”

 

Read more: Call to fix date for ending care charges; Where is lived experience in care regulation review?; Lived experiences must be platformed in NCS debate; Pressure mounts to pause NCS

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