ALLIANCE responds to Programme for Government 2025-26
- Area of Work: Policy and Research
- Type: News Item
- Published: 7th May 2025
Chief Officer of the ALLIANCE, Sara Redmond, calls for equal focus on social care.
Speaking after the Scottish Government announced its Programme for Government, Sara Redmond, Chief Officer at the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE), (1) called for the focus on the NHS to be matched with support for social care.
“The ALLIANCE welcome actions in the Programme for Government to deliver a Fairer Funding Pilot for the third sector, more social security payments, and more NHS procedures and GP appointments. It is however critical that the focus is on improving the health and wellbeing of the population rather than merely on counting the activities delivered.
“We are also disappointed to see the lack of equivalent focus on social care, compared with the NHS. The social care sector is facing multiple crises, and in the wake of the National Care Service being shelved, facing an uncertain future with inadequate funding and a lack of much-needed transformational change. The ALLIANCE would urge the Scottish Government to match the commitments to funding and reform in the NHS with a similar focus on social care in the next year – in particular taking urgent action to mitigating the impact of the increase to employer National insurance Contributions which are threatening the viability of the third sector.”
The ALLIANCE is the national third sector membership organisation for the health and social care sector, representing 3,500 members.
/ends
Notes to editors
(1) The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) is the national third sector membership organisation for the health and social care sector. We bring together over 3,500 people and organisations dedicated to achieving our vision of a Scotland where everyone has a strong voice and enjoys the right to live well, with dignity and respect. Our members are essential in creating a society in which we all can thrive, and we believe that by working together, our voice is stronger.
CONTACT: communications@alliance-scotland.org.uk
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