National Care Service (NCS) National Forum 2024: speeches

Maree Todd, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport

Introduction 

Good afternoon everyone.

It’s the sign of a good conference if at the end of the day we can’t get people to stop talking! So that means you are all hearing each other’s stories, making connections, collaborating and taking ideas home. So that’s a success!  

I want to start off by saying thank you to everyone for coming along today, and also to those of us who have joined us online, all 300 of you! Your time and the enthusiasm you have brought has been absolutely invaluable.  

I’d like to give a very special thanks to our Chair, Katherine, for guiding us through the day and to our panel members. I really enjoyed taking part and hearing everyone sharing their knowledge and expertise during such a dynamic discussion.  But I think what was most powerful is that we did constantly keep going back to, “Who is it we’re doing this for and why is it we’re doing it?” I think at tough times like we’re currently facing a wee bump in the road, I think that’s really important and powerful.  

I want to say thank you to David Duke for sharing his story with us today. I found it really inspirational actually to hear about what led him to set up Street Soccer Scotland. I had the pleasure of visiting one of the women’s projects last week and it was a really powerful experience. It was Women and Girls in Sport week last week, which is the best week of my Ministerial year, it has to be said! I met women who were in recovery, who were thriving, who were supporting each other, who were taking on leadership roles all through sport. What incredible, powerful work. It helps people who are facing social exclusion, mental health issues, and it provides an inclusive space for football inspired training and personal development. It inspires everyone to be the best they can, all because it's a team game while demonstrating the importance of collaboration.  

The discussions you have all been taking part in today are an essential part of building the case for change in social care. It highlights that actually we all have an important role to play in making this change. I’m aware that I have an important role but each and every person in this room is part of that change. Delivering a strong and sustainable care service for Scotland is a priority for this government and we are absolutely committed to delivering positive changes across the sector.  

National Care Service progress  

So, what have we been up to since we met this time last year? 

Well, probably most importantly, the National Care Service Bill passed Stage 1 in the Scottish Parliament in February. Which was an absolutely momentous occasion and a really positive milestone to reach.  

Since then, we’ve worked with stakeholders and people with lived experience to consider the amendments. We’ve held co-design sessions across the country and set up working groups to consider, for example through the Adult Social Care Ethical Commissioning Working Group, drafting the ethical commissioning and procurement principles.  

And we have started to test and develop these with stakeholders and people with lived experience.  

The Cabinet Secretary spoke earlier about the Expert Legislative Advisory Group that provided such an important sounding board in the Stage 2 amendments process. I want to echo his thanks for the time and expertise that people on this group contributed. 

Reforming the social care system is a complicated process and we expected there to be a range of views. We know not everyone agreed on everything but the discussion is important for a healthy and robust examination of policies. Working together I am confident we can make the National Care Service that meets the needs of the people of Scotland. 

Charter of Rights and Responsibilities and Workforce Charter  

We were delighted to share an early draft of the National Care Service Charter of Rights and Responsibilities with the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee in June. 

More than 500 people have been involved in the co-design of that Charter. And we are publishing all of our co-design activity and findings as we go. The inclusive co-design on this piece of work ensured those from seldom heard groups could share their views and make their voice heard. It is absolutely crucial that the Charter will deliver for everyone.  

We will continue co-designing the Charter through 2025. If you haven’t already been there, do pop over to the Charter stall today to find out how you can get involved in the work.  

A Workforce Charter is also being developed and co-designed with people who work in social care, social work and community health. We were told by members of the workforce this would be valuable to them. 

A Workforce Charter co-design report was published in September and our goal is to unify people working for different employers, and give them a national identity under the National Care Service.   

Our workforce team are here today with a copy of the draft Charter so please, if you haven’t already seen it, pop over to their stall and take a look. 

National Care Service Board 

We have also made great progress on our approach to the National Care Service Board. The Board will help ensure support services are fair and consistent across the country and the Board will have human rights and lived experience at the heart of its decision-making. 

I am delighted to say that we have started to co-design the details of how the Board will work and some further detailed discussions on its membership.    

National Social Work Agency 

In every social work forum we hear staff and students telling us that a national approach to social work is urgently needed to reflect the complex legislation and environment they work in. We are working to make the National Social Work Agency a reality. 

We’re futureproofing the social work profession. Providing new grants for student social workers and rolling out tailored support for the newly qualified. 

And, together with social workers, we’re developing a career framework that recognises and rewards those different roles and skills across all aspects of the social work role.  

Wider social care progress 

But, while our work is ongoing to deliver a National Care Service, we’re also working hard to develop the social care, social work and community health landscape for the here and now. 

Later this year, our Getting It Right For Everyone, the GIRFE pathfinders, will publish the “Team Around the Person” toolkit. 

That resource was designed with people with lived experience and nine Health and Social Care Partnerships across Scotland. It will support professionals across Scotland to collaborate and to provide a more personalised way for individuals to access help and support. 

In April, we relaunched the Support in the Right Direction Programme. That programme provides local independent support, advice and advocacy to help people to make informed decisions and have access to the social care they need.  

We want everyone who is accessing social care to feel confident participating in every stage of their social care journey and to be equal partners in their care decisions. 

Just last month, it’s been mentioned already, we launched the Rethink Dementia anti-stigma campaign. This shows the many practical steps we can take to help the people who are closest to us to stay well for longer. It has been absolutely fabulous to see the posters in pharmacies, health centres, on bus stops and across social media and TV too. I’m sure you’ve all seen, or I hope you’ve all seen the fantastic adverts – I have to say, they make me smile every time I see it! It’s really a very good advert. 

That’s the first step of many for our Dementia Strategy, which was developed again with the voice of lived experience right at the heart of it and COSLA.  It shows the changes that we need to make for people with dementia, and I believe the National Care Service will be critical to achieve this.  

Home First 

Another thing we’ve been working on is Home First. So Home First is a key part of our strategy to ensure that people can recover safely in their own home once their hospital treatment is finished.  

There are huge benefits to recovering at home, like reducing the risk of infection, and helping people to maintain their independence, and we want to ensure that patients and families understand that.  

So I’m really pleased to say that last week we launched the second phase of our Home First Communications Campaign, which will amplify the voices of both those with lived experience and delivering Home First to tell us all about the benefits of recovering at home.  

Again, I look forward to seeing all of the posters and leaflets distributed in health and community care settings right across Scotland, and seeing the videos online. 

Closing remarks 

At the heart of all of these successes has been all of you, and the many others who have given their time and expertise to the Scottish Government. 

It is so encouraging to see what we have achieved together over the past year to make positive changes to the sector, and as we work together towards delivering a National Care Service.  

The National Care Service Bill is continuing to make its way through Parliament. We are committed to introducing the National Care Service Board before the end of this parliamentary term.  

I want to say thank you here today to all our volunteers including guest facilitators and notetakers both here and online. We are going to take away and analyse what you have told us today and what you have all discussed.  

It will feed into our policy development and complement the extensive co-design and engagement that’s already underway.  

I have to admit, I’m really heartened and delighted to see quite so many people here today. I feel very strongly that we all have a shared goal – and that goal is to improve social care for the people of Scotland.  

Listening and talking with you all today, I am reminded that we still have plenty of work to do, but only together can we drive forward the changes that we want to see.  

I hope you come away today knowing that you have made an impact – each and every one of you are making an impact – And you’ve lent your voice and your strength to shaping the future of social care in Scotland.  

I am excited to continue working with you and to build that strong and accountable National Care Service that we all want to see. So thank you.