Including more people in the codesign and development of health and social care services could help solve issues with 'disjointed services' and 'considerable differences between policy intention and delivery', says a group committed to making government more accountable and transparent.

A report by Scotland’s Open Government Partnership (OGP) says currently there are few ways for the public to influence meaningful change within the sector.

The group’s third National Action Plan – which has had input from 30 groups and six public-facing meetings - says the Scottish government must work to embed co-design principles in health and social care policy making.

A person-centred design team – which the group estimates will cost £400,000 a year – is part of plans to ensure accountability.

This, the group says, will ensure people can access the right services at the right time and reduce barriers in accessing services – all while reducing costs and time.

Civil society Co-Chair of the Open Government Steering Group, and member of OGP International Steering Committee, Lucy McTernan said:

“Accountability and trust in our government has never been more important, as we see it undermined around the world.

“I am delighted the Scottish Government and COSLA officials, civil society partners and people across Scotland have contributed to the development of this plan.

“Retaining this spirit of collaboration and partnership working throughout the delivery of the plan will be crucial to its success and we look forward to developing these relationships over the next four years.”

Scotland’s Open Government Partnership is part of an international project established in 2006 that is working to routinely involve the public in tackling some of the toughest questions facing policymakers.

Since Scotland joined in 2016, it has published three action plans, with the most recent focusing on Financial Transparency and Climate Change, as well as Health and Social Care.

The Scottish government has committed to improving and increasing the input of service users and service delivery staff in the development, design and improvement of health and care services in Scotland, with efforts to be led by the Directorate for Healthcare Quality and Improvement and the government’s top health and care civil servant, the Director-General Health and Social Care.

An independent reporter will be appointed to monitor progress and report back on whether the plan, that is due to run until September 2025, has been delivered.

Minister for Parliamentary Business and Co-Chair of the Open Government Steering Group, George Adam said:

“This Action Plan sets out our most ambitious commitments yet to create an open, transparent and accountable government, strengthening public trust in our institutions, producing better public services and a better quality of life for everyone.

“I am confident the commitments in the plan will continue to drive improvement to ensure decision-making is open and accessible to the people of Scotland and that we enable meaningful public scrutiny.

“Tackling the climate emergency and improving health and social care are huge challenges faced by government and I believe that working in partnership with wider society and the people of Scotland will help improve these vital programmes of work.”

Meanwhile a second group. the Institutionalising Participatory and Deliberative Democracy (IPDD) Working Group has also published a report, with a series of recommendations to deliver on the OPG actions.

The Working Group – convened by the Scottish government last summer – says a dedicated central unit should be set up to oversee democratic innovations, including Citizens’ Assemblies.

The report says Scotland has already made ‘trail-blazing efforts’ as one of only a small number of countries to have convened multiple Assemblies in succession.

In the longer-term, the Working Group recommends the Scottish government establishes a National Centre for Participation, to ensure people are at the heart of all policymaking.

Working Group member Willie Sullivan, Senior Director of Electoral Reform Society Scotland, said:

“Scotland is already pioneering important ways to give people more of a say in the decisions that affect them, such as through citizens’ assemblies.

“We are part of a small group of countries leading the way in exploring how to move beyond the creaking democratic institutions of the 20th century and how to break through into a new era of revitalised and invigorated democracy. 

“This report sets out the plan to lay strong foundations for the future of Scotland’s democracy; for the old to give birth to and nurture the new."

 

 

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