Help shape care service in Scotland
Making Scotland the best country it possibly can be for everyone who decides to call our country home has long been the main goal of the SNP in government and it is one that I wholeheartedly agree with and support.
Indeed, it’s no secret that what drives me as Paisley’s MSP and the reason I do the job I do is because I wish to see everyone in our town achieve their full potential and have the means to succeed regardless of their circumstances or personal situation.
One initiative I am particularly excited to see develop and hopefully grow into something truly revolutionary is the proposed National Care Service.
The National Care Service (Scotland) Bill was introduced by the Scottish Government in June 2022 with the intention of reforming how social care, social work and community health services are delivered in Scotland, it has been described as the most significant reform to public services since the creation of the NHS.
Currently, the National Care Service is expected to be implemented by 2026 and would allow Scottish ministers to transfer social care responsibility from local authorities, alongside health and care services from the NHS and health boards, to a new national service which would be responsible for delivering care locally for anyone who needs it.
In order to ensure the service is reflective of the varied issues people accessing care face the length and breadth of the country, together with those who have experience of working in the social care sector already, the public are being asked to help shape the future of the new service and people across Scotland are now being invited to have a say on how the NCS should work in practice.
To allow anyone who uses care services, has a loved one that relies on care or has worked in the sector to have their say, a programme of meetings will take place over the summer, stretching from Dumfries and Galloway to Shetland alongside online meetings for anyone who would prefer to join discussions remotely.
During a meeting with allied health professionals last week, social care minister Maree Todd spoke with staff about what they want to see from the co-design of the new national approach and has now asked that anyone who wishes to take part in the further discussions registers their interest via an online booking platform that is now up and running in advance of the first event in Stirling on Tuesday, June 20.
I would urge anyone who has experience of the care service who wishes to take part in shaping what has the potential to be a life-changing initiative to sign up and join in these instrumental discussions.
Something that has always made me proud of the SNP in government is their real drive to put people at the heart of the agenda.
And it is clear this is exactly what is happening now.
By really focusing on what’s needed to support people to thrive with the most suitable care for them, I truly believe we can make Scotland that little bit better for so many of our friends, family and neighbours already using our care services – and I’m excited to see how plans progress after the summer meetings.