Putting people at the centre of reform

People at the heart of Scotland’s adult social care support system have helped shape a programme for reform.

A policy panel made up of unpaid carers and people with lived experience of social care support has been instrumental in drawing up the reform programme.

The panel has worked alongside the Scottish Government, COSLA, and a partnership of professionals and organisations from across the care sector to develop plans to drive changes needed at local and national level.

The reform programme recognises the critical role and skills of social work and social care professionals, and a key focus is to enable them to promote the dignity, choice and potential of people who use social care support.

The panel said priority must be given to providing self-directed support which fits around a person, and also to ensuring there are more consistent experiences across the country, whilst allowing for local needs and circumstances.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman jointly announced the programme for reform with Stuart Currie, COSLA’s Health and Social Care spokesperson, at the Social Work Scotland Annual Conference in Crieff. She said:

“Social care support is essential for thousands of people so they can live as independently as possible. We want to ensure that anyone who needs it can get effective, person-centred, sustainable social care support now and in the future.

“I believe that services which are shaped by the people who use them will deliver the best outcomes.

“The connections the panel has made with people using and delivering social services means we have a programme which sets a clear direction for the future of adult social care support in Scotland.”

Councillor Currie said:

“Health and Social Care Partnerships are working with colleagues in the independent and third sector to drive improvements to the system and improve outcomes for people and their communities.

“This launch follows extensive engagement with partners across the sector to develop a national programme to support local reform and improve outcomes for people and their communities.

“Social care support is an investment in Scotland and we must ensure it is treated in this way.”