Members update from ALLIANCE Chief Officer

Dear members, 

Summer is upon us and the ALLIANCE team remain busy shaping our plans to influence the new Scottish Government and build relationships with MSPs.  

We have written to all relevant Scottish Government Ministers and party spokespeople to set out our priorities drawing upon our manifesto asks.  We have also begun to have meetings to discuss these priorities.  

Top of our agenda is the importance of social care reform and fair funding for the third sector.   

Social care reform  

The ALLIANCE has been invited to a meeting with the Minister for Community Care, Alison Thewliss MSP, in August. We will be pressing the Minister to provide information about their plans to reform social care and will be raising the many issues we have collectively called for to be addressed. 

Primary Care and Community Health   

The term ‘community care’ seems to be featuring much more in the language of this current government, referencing social care but also wider community support and services, including some community health services. 

Scottish Government has set out its intention to shift the balance of care from hospital into the community, and this term likely reflects that broader agenda.   

The ALLIANCE continues to work towards influencing the Primary Care and Community Health action plan, which is due to now be published in early autumn.  This will have some commitments relevant to members, and we are holding some engagement events at the end of July to discuss this area of work, which we would encourage you to attend.  

Women’s health  

Since the First Minister announced his new Cabinet in May, there has been some concern around the prioritisation of women’s health. The role of Public Health and Women’s Health Minister, previously held by Jenni Minto MSP, has been replaced by Minister for Mental Wellbeing, Public Health, Sport, Alcohol and Drugs, with Maree Todd holding this office. Ms Todd will still cover women’s health within her Ministerial portfolio and has expressed commitment to the ongoing implementation of the Women’s Health Plan.  

However, the ALLIANCE has heard several members’ concerns about the removal of women’s health from the Ministerial title, and what this will mean for the attention given to this area by Government.  

The ALLIANCE has been discussing this issue with members and continues to relay their points and questions to the Scottish Government. The ALLIANCE continues to deliver a women’s health programme. This includes facilitating a Lived Experience Stakeholder Group to feed into the progress of the Women’s Health Plan. The ALLIANCE has recognised the concerns of our network members and has engaged with the Scottish Government to ask for clarity. The ALLIANCE will ensure our members and Women’s Health Group are kept informed of these conversations.  

If you are interested in our Women’s Health Stakeholder Group or learning more about our wider programme, please email whp@alliance-scotland.org.uk  

Health and social care service renewal framework  

It is our understanding that the Health and Social Care Service Renewal Framework, published last June, will continue to set the direction of health and social care reform for the current Scottish Government.  

The first meeting of the programme board is due at the end of July.  The ALLIANCE is a member of this group and see this as an important route to raising issues on your behalf.   

We are considering the best route to engaging with members about this work as it covers a lot of policy areas across health and social care.   

Please get in touch if you are keen to stay up to date with these developments at membership@alliance-scotland.org.uk