The Independent Review of Adult Social Care in Scotland is recommending a new national care service be set up and a specific government minister be appointed to oversee social care, alongside other major reforms for Integration Joint Boards.

A national care service should be established in law ‘on an equal footing’ with the NHS, the report states, and will lead on some nationwide areas including workforce development and improvement programmes, as well as social care at a national level for people with the most complex needs.

Read our analysis for an in-depth look at the report's recommendations.

One major change extends to the removal of all charges for social care ‘at the point of need’, mirroring the NHS, coupled with a ‘substantial uplift’ to funding and a human rights-based approach to care.

The existing mix of private, third sector and public care providers should continue, the report states.

Review chair Derek Feeley concludes that care services should not be nationalised, pointing to higher levels of public satisfaction with third sector providers. He did, however, express ‘unease’ that a significant part of the care system is ‘largely run on a profit-making basis’.

Speaking in Parliament today the First Minister said the report was a “vital first step” to creating a national service.

“The government will respond to its recommendations in due course and the Health Secretary has requested a parliamentary debate on the report later this month.

“The pandemic has shown us more starkly than ever before just how much our care services matter so the review report provides us with a basis for significantly improving these services and of course is a vital first step towards the creation of a national care service.”

Under the proposals ‘accountability’ for adult social care would be shifted from local councils to a new minister for social care.

Meanwhile the review proposes that Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) – which manage a pot of around £10bn that is jointly provided by the NHS and local councils – should be directly funded from the Scottish government.

It is proposed that IJBs take on an expanded role, responsible for planning, commissioning and procurement of care, employ more staff and ‘manage GPs’ contractual arrangements’.

From the perspective of people using care, one of the most important recommendations may be the call for all people in Scotland to ‘receive social care free at the point of need’.

The review states: ‘It does not make sense for people to have access to healthcare free at the point of need but, in circumstances that are equally related to their health and wellbeing, to be charged for support. It also does not support delivery of their human rights.’

This follows a similar pledge by the SNP last year, if they win the next election.

However, this does not extend to accommodation in care homes, because the review concluded ‘in other circumstances that person would be paying accommodation costs at home.’

The review also calls for the role of national oversight bodies – the Care Inspectorate and the Scottish Social Services Council – to be ‘revisited to ensure they are fit for purpose in a new system’.

 

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