National Care Service consultation: discussion events summaries

1 November 2021

• Theme of discussion: all aspects of the consultation
• Time: 11:00-12:30
• Discussions leader(s): Anna Kynaston

Introduction

This is a summary of the key points raised by attendees at this session.  None of the points have been attributed to individuals as the purpose was to encourage broad and open discussion.  The summaries for all the national events will be provided to the independent contractor undertaking the consultation analysis.

Points raised at event

• Contributor is worried about making things bigger. Things went downhill with new Queen Elizabeth II hospital. Didn’t feel there was a process in place, consultant wasn’t very helpful and decided to make a formal complaint. A lot of inconsistency and better to address this with support rather than go to a NCS and  making things bigger.
• Is there another framework we are trying to emulate? This feels quite different and how would this function.
• There are pros and cons. Working in an authority where it was proactive and forward thinking, it would be about spreading best practice. Lives in a local authority area where it has been poor and experience self-directed support. Need for more consistency and it doesn’t happen. NCS more robust and how it’s best practice and accountability. Having people on boards is good and how are they elected.
• Is there a plan to move to a more regional approach? This may cause future difficulties in engaging with NHS.
• Discrepancies between one local authority area and another. In Control Scotland have a very strong voice, young adults who receive personal care and family members from local authority areas. Hear from people with lived experience. Have relationship with LA, people can go on courses and SG pay for these.
• In Glasgow education sits alone and Health and Social Care sit together, Renfrewshire education and social care sit together and health sits alone. Lots of quite gentle support and working towards. Learning from energy sector and thinking outside the box
• In Control Scotland were commissioned by SG to take forward self-directed support. Very good but not every authority took advantage and went on the training. It’s down to leadership and leadership taking forward best practice. Will this model work and improve a NCS?
• Contributor curious to see how many people would welcome a framework for reporting and what you need to deliver. How you do that locally? It may be watered down beyond local authority, say to private sector. In Edinburgh when a person comes out of hospital they are under local authority social care team for six weeks then passed to an agency. Framework for local authorities to provide care then outsourced care to agency who work differently, different pay etc. how will that work when things go down several layers?
• Charging – started off with no charge for dads, and then charges started randomly increasing. Nothing in consultation about non-residential charges. Getting charges made universally would be brilliant.
• End of life care – when father needed end of life care, no one alerted the social worker. Contributor did not know that help could have been offered if social worker knew.
• What will be the impact on children’s services? Sorting out the transition from children services to adult services would be very helpful.
• The transition period is often made harder by the vast number of cognitive tests which adults have to do.
• Commissioning and procurement – flexibility is something Local Authorities try to do but it is difficult because of procurement rules. More training is needed for commissioners.