National Care Service plan ‘delayed not scrapped’

The Scottish government is again delaying its flagship plans for a National Care Service – but denies reports that the policy has been dropped.

Health Secretary Neil Gray said he was “absolutely committed” to the scheme, which aims to transfer responsibility for social care from councils to a new national body.

First Minister John Swinney said more time was needed to consider views and “get the proposals right” before a new timetable is worked out in the new year.

Opposition parties are against the plans, which have already been delayed by three years due to financial pressures and uncertainty over costs.

MSPs were due to consider potential amendments to the bill later this month.

But the health secretary said the there had been no decision on how the final bill would be formulated, as the government continues to seek support from MSPs.

It comes after the Scottish Greens withdraw their backing last month, meaning there was not enough support for the plans at Holyrood.

Council body Cosla and trade unions previously withdrew support, while health boards and care organisations also expressed concerns.

Gray told BBC Scotland News: “We recognise that there has been much commentary across political parties and with colleagues in Cosla, so we’re looking to take more time to consider those views

“We need to make progress for people who need social care services, so that they are able to get access to a consistent standard.

“We remain committed to a principle of a national care service and are considering all options around how we demonstrate that.”

The scheme was first announced following the Covid pandemic

The legislation aims to centralise adult social care currently delivered by local authorities into a single body accountable to the Scottish government.

The health secretary stressed that part one of the legislation – which sets up the national oversight body – had not been dropped.

He said the SNP was committed to a scheme that delivers “nationally agreed and nationally enforceable standards” of social care.

At First Ministers’ Questions at Holyrood, John Swinney reiterated the SNP’s commitment to the plan.

He said: “The government will take its time to ensure we get the proposals right, and bring forward proposals that can command parliamentary support.”

Swinney said he recognised the level of opposition, but said groups in the care sector were “encouraging and indeed pleading with us” to go ahead with the bill.

He added: “Disabled people’s organisations, carers and service users have pressed the government to take forward the National Care Service.”

Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat MSPs have stood in opposition to the scheme. They were joined by Green MSPs last month.

The SNP is in power as a minority administration after a power-sharing agreement with the Greens collapsed in April.

They must now rely on the support of other parties to pass legislation at Holyrood.

But at the Greens’ party conference in Greenock, members voted to withdraw support saying the scheme was “not fit for purpose” in its current form.

Scottish Green health spokeswoman Gillian Mackay said the bill was “contrary to Green values” and a “power grab” on local authorities.

At First Ministers’ Questions, Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay said: “The SNP have already wasted £29m on a National Care Service that has not cared for a single person.

“These plans should be scrapped entirely and investment put into frontline social care where it is so desperately needed.”

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said the scheme would do nothing to improve the lives of care users.

“Our care system is fundamentally broken,” he said.

“Scots are seeing their care packages cut by this SNP government. While they have been fighting for their failed plan, families have been fighting for basic reforms to support their loved ones.”

The Scottish Lib Dems said the plans had “attracted clear opposition from every quarter”.

Leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “If this is the death knell of this centralising ministerial takeover of social care, I am glad.

“Scottish Liberal Democrats are the only party to have opposed it from day one. For four years, the SNP has wasted £30m a bureaucratic power grab.”