Scotland Performs Update

National Outcome: Our people are able to maintain their independence as they get older and are able to access appropriate support when they need it

Adult Social Care

Background

• Social care and support enables people in Scotland to remain in their own homes for longer, avoid unnecessary hospital admissions and take control of the care they receive.
• Prioritising care at home and preventative interventions and the integration of health and social care, enable us to move away from expensive and unnecessary hospital based care.
• Since 2002, over 65 year olds in Scotland have benefited from Free Personal Care, and during 2016-17 the Scottish Government conducted a feasibility study into extending this to all adults under the age of 65.

Budget

• Around £3bn a year is invested in social care for all adults, enabling them to continue to live in their communities, with choice and control over their care.

Achievements

• Over 77,000 people in Scotland currently benefit from free Personal and Nursing care.
• The Programme for Government states the commitment that from 2019, this will be extended to all adults. This means that those adults with long term conditions, or those who develop dementia or other degenerative conditions under the age of 65 will receive free personal care in the same way as older people have since 2002.
• Over 7,500 adults of all ages choose a direct payment to purchase the services they require, giving them the choice and control over how they receive their care.

Key partners

• COSLA
• Integration Authorities
• Local Authorities
• Scottish Care
• Community Planning Partnerships
• Private sector and third sector care providers.

Delivery

• Social care is commissioned by Health and Social Care Partnerships and delivered across Scotland directly by local authorities, by third sector organisations and by private providers.
• Over 200,000 people work in the social care sector in Scotland, providing essential care and support to individuals who need it.
• The Scottish Government has worked with the sector to implement the Living Wage for adult social care staff, ensuring that the social care workforce receive a fair wage for the important work they do in supporting many of the most vulnerable people in our society.

Contribution to National Outcomes

• Enabling people to remain in their own homes for longer, and avoid or shorten hospital admissions, improve people’s life chances and independence, and keep them with their families, friends and communities for longer, promoting healthier and happier lives as part of a community.
• Reablement aims to reverse dependence on care services and allow people to regain their independence.

The project contributes towards other National Outcomes, such as:

• We live longer, healthier lives.
• Our public services are high quality, continually Improving, efficient and responsive to local people's needs.