The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)

MSPs raise concern on care plans

Holyrood’s Health Committee has raised concerns over a lack of clarity from the government on how its proposed National Care Service (NCS) would work as it conditiona­lly backed the plans.

The Scottish Government has pressed ahead with proposals for the NCS, which will see social care brought under a single organisati­on.

The Bill to set up the NCS is yet to face its first debate, but has been criticised by care providers, unions and politician­s and has been delayed to 2029 in a bid to save money.

Criticisms include the uncertaint­y over how much the plans will cost and the government’s decision to pass a framework Bill, with specific functions of the NCS devised through a process of “co-design”.

In its report, released yesterday, the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee at Holyrood said: “The committee is also concerned that the Scottish Government has so far been unable to articulate and communicat­e a model of how the proposed National Care Service would operate.

“We understand that the Scottish Government intends to share this informatio­n prior to the stage one debate and look forward to receiving it.”

The committee also expressed concerns at the lack of details of amendments the government plans to propose to the Bill.

“While the committee understand­s that this is a framework Bill, the lack of detail at this stage on what that framework will look like is concerning, and has made the work of the committee less effective as a consequenc­e,” the MSPs said.

But the report – the recommenda­tions for which were laden with dissent from opposition members of the committee – supported the general principles of the Bill, subject to the publicatio­n of the amendments to be lodged at stage two, urging the Government to publish the materials by March 29 at the latest.

Responding to the report, Scottish Labour deputy leader Dame Jackie Baillie announced her party will not back the Bill at its first vote.

“We need a National Care Service that is fit for purpose, but instead the SNP and the Greens are bulldozing through their bungled plans,” she said.