THE Scottish Government has dropped plans for a National Care Service.
In a statement at Holyrood, Social Care Minister Maree Todd admitted to the chamber the proposals do not have enough support to get through Parliament.
She said the Government remains committed to a National Care Service but it will not legislate for any “structural reform”.
Former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon described the National Care Service as the most ambitious reform since devolution when it was announced in 2021.
The original plan, inspired by the NHS, was to take social care provision and staff away from local authorities into a new national agency.
Todd said: “We’ve spent three years developing plans and significant commitment and resources from a wide range of people has brought us to this point.
“Today, I will set out revised proposals for the NCS Bill and the other urgent actions to deliver improvements in the social care system.
She added: “I have concluded that we must deliver our Scottish National Care Service without legislating for structural reform, securing a different means to deliver our goals.
“It is therefore my intention to remove part one from the Bill at stage two and proceed with parts two and three only.”
Todd said she intends to set up a National Care Service advisory board on a non-statutory basis.
She told the Scottish Parliament she expects it to meet for the first time this year.
Todd said: “It is my intention that the advisory board will include people with lived experience of accessing care services, unpaid carers, those who work in the sector, care providers, trade unions, the NHS and local government.”
The board is set to have a “wide remit” and provide advice on a number of national programmes, including improving delayed discharges and tackling drugs harms.
Todd added “significant issues” around the sector can only be resolved through reserved powers.
She welcomed comments from her UK Government counterpart Stephen Kinnock on improving social care.
Todd called for collaboration at Holyrood, telling MSPs: “Throughout this bill process, I have said my door is always open to discussion.
“That is still the case today. We are all agreed that social care outcomes must improve, and I urge members across the chamber to engage constructively with us as we move forward."
