Scottish Government update proposes National Care Service Board
- Area of Work: Policy and Research
- Type: News Item
- Published: 21st September 2023
The proposed board, agreed between the Government, COSLA and NHS, will aim to provide effective national oversight.
The Scottish Government have written to the Scottish Parliament’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee providing an update on the progress of the proposed National Care Service (NCS). In her letter Maree Todd, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, stated that the reports emerging from the summer regional co-design forums, which ran from June to August, will be published on the Scottish Government website on 27 September. Further regional forums are also scheduled, alongside the National Forum on 30 October.
In addition, following the initial agreement between the Scottish Government, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) and the NHS on shared legal accountability for health and social care services, the letter outlines the government’s intention to establish a national Board for the NCS. The aim of the board “will be to ensure consistent, fair, human rights-based social care support and community health services, underpinned by effective complaints and advocacy for people.
Although the final makeup of the proposed board has not yet been finalised, and will be subject to the co-design process, the letter indicates it may include representatives from the Scottish Government, local government, the NHS, workforce representatives, people accessing care, and unpaid carers. As initially formulated the third sector are not included in this discussion, although third sector organisations are a significant provider of social care in Scotland. The ALLIANCE have asked that the Scottish Government give appropriate consideration to the role of the third sector in the design and implementation of the NCS, including in relation to the proposed NCS Board.
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