Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 28 October 2010
28 Oct 2010 · S3 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Carers and Young Carers Strategy
As always, it is a privilege to speak in a debate about carers, because they are the unsung heroes of the society in which we live. It might not sit comfortably with the Parliament, and I do not ignore the progress that we have made, but I think that we have made progress too slowly since 1999—otherwise, we would not have to have a brand-new shiny document. The publication is useful, interesting and full of nice words but, as Jackie Baillie and Ross Finnie said, what matters is not the rhetoric that we speak in this place but the implementation and delivery of services and resources to the people who need them. Notwithstanding what other members have said, my personal opinion is that progress has been too slow and inadequate.
I recognise that we sit in an unpleasant economic environment, as Bob Doris said, but I am disappointed when I reach only page 25 of the strategy document and find that paragraph 2.44 puts in place a defence—we havenae got the money to do this. That concerns me and I am sure that it concerns the people who are listening in the public gallery.
From my casework and from going around organisations such as the young carers project in Motherwell, which Action for Children runs, the sad fact strikes me that, all too often—regardless of the resources, which are not infinite, that this place, or whichever Government, allocates—people in other organisations seek to circumvent the intention of funds as quickly and as easily as they can. We must find a mechanism that obliges people to follow “Caring Together” and its predecessors and to put them into action. Thus far, we have not done that. We have only to look at the variability of service and resource to recognise that. I understand that there is no question but that such negotiations are difficult for whichever minister happens to be in the place that is Ms Robison’s, but that is no consolation to the people who expect to receive the services and the resources. The situation is unacceptable.
It is not acceptable that, at 48 hours’ notice, one of my constituents discovered that the respite care that they were promised had been pulled. The decision to do that affected not only my constituent and the cared-for person but the rest of the family, who also needed respite. There are implications in not tackling those who say that they do not have the money without realising that other elements of our public service must pick up the bill. We must address the silo thinking that operates across the public service.
I recognise that we sit in an unpleasant economic environment, as Bob Doris said, but I am disappointed when I reach only page 25 of the strategy document and find that paragraph 2.44 puts in place a defence—we havenae got the money to do this. That concerns me and I am sure that it concerns the people who are listening in the public gallery.
From my casework and from going around organisations such as the young carers project in Motherwell, which Action for Children runs, the sad fact strikes me that, all too often—regardless of the resources, which are not infinite, that this place, or whichever Government, allocates—people in other organisations seek to circumvent the intention of funds as quickly and as easily as they can. We must find a mechanism that obliges people to follow “Caring Together” and its predecessors and to put them into action. Thus far, we have not done that. We have only to look at the variability of service and resource to recognise that. I understand that there is no question but that such negotiations are difficult for whichever minister happens to be in the place that is Ms Robison’s, but that is no consolation to the people who expect to receive the services and the resources. The situation is unacceptable.
It is not acceptable that, at 48 hours’ notice, one of my constituents discovered that the respite care that they were promised had been pulled. The decision to do that affected not only my constituent and the cared-for person but the rest of the family, who also needed respite. There are implications in not tackling those who say that they do not have the money without realising that other elements of our public service must pick up the bill. We must address the silo thinking that operates across the public service.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman)
Lab
The next item of business is a debate on motion S3M-7272, in the name of Shona Robison, on the carers and young carers strategy.14:56
The Minister for Public Health and Sport (Shona Robison)
SNP
We came into government with a strong commitment to develop a new carers strategy for Scotland. The aim was to build on the considerable progress that had be...
Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD)
LD
Obviously, the Liberal Democrats welcome what the minister has just said, but how does she intend to audit the outcomes once the process that she describes h...
Shona Robison
SNP
There will be a robust auditing process, as there always is with the third sector. The third sector is well placed to be able to deliver innovative thinking....
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Lab
Like the minister, I welcome this debate on carers and the publication of the carers and young carers strategy.As the minister pointed out, some 657,000 peop...
Shona Robison
SNP
I have been quite up front in saying to carer organisations that in the current economic climate, funding such an entitlement is extremely challenging. We wo...
Jackie Baillie
Lab
I thank the minister for her honesty. In the context of the economic climate, perhaps we could discuss self-directed support. A commitment was made to extend...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
The previous Scottish Executive introduced a strategy for carers in 1999 to improve the information on help and support for carers; to improve local services...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Alasdair Morgan)
SNP
The member should conclude.
Mary Scanlon
Con
Finally, I hope that the Government will continue to support direct payments.15:23
Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD)
LD
This is one among a number of the issues that are debated in this chamber for which it is self-evident that there is a broad measure of cross-party support, ...
Shona Robison
SNP
I take it from that that the member supports pooled budgets, the level of which we are negotiating at the moment. I take it that the member supports that dir...
Ross Finnie
LD
I will be happy to support it provided that I can see the mechanisms that will support it. Allocating sums of money is helpful, and it would be churlish to s...
Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP)
SNP
Over the years, we have gradually continued to get a better picture of the job that unpaid carers do in Scotland, and of the scale of that job, and we contin...
Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome the comments that Bob Doris has made and I think that it is important that we get some consensus around this issue. Does he agree that one of the w...
Bob Doris
SNP
I thank Cathy Jamieson for her comment but, although that is the outcome at the local level, the premise is completely inaccurate. Way before the kinship car...
Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome the opportunity to debate carers issues. I fully support the motion in the name of the Minister for Public Health and Sport, particularly the closi...
Hugh O’Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD)
LD
As always, it is a privilege to speak in a debate about carers, because they are the unsung heroes of the society in which we live. It might not sit comforta...
Bob Doris
SNP
The member is quite right in what he says about resources and, of course, we always need more, but are the resources that are spent at the local level always...
Hugh O’Donnell
LD
I have some sympathy with the member’s point. All too often, and despite the person-centred planning approach, which many members in the chamber will know ab...
Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I want to talk about a specific element of caring that Jackie Baillie touched on in her contribution: the thousands of older people who continue to care in t...
Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome the carers and young carers strategy, the partnership approach to developing the strategy, and indeed the minister’s commitment to make it work. It...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I call Cathy Jamieson. She has two minutes.15:59
Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab)
Lab
I will be brief, as I have only two points to put on the record. The first is about young people who are in families where drugs and alcohol are being misuse...
Jamie Stone (Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross) (LD)
LD
I am not returning to this place next May and this debate is a good example of why I will miss it—we have heard thoughtful speeches from all sides of the cha...
Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
I welcome what has been an extremely important debate on the Scottish Government’s carers and young carers strategy, which follows on from a debate on the is...
Hugh O’Donnell
LD
I note what the member says about statutory provision of services. Generally, does she agree that, if there is a strategy in any area of activity for which a...
Margaret Mitchell
Con
Absolutely—and other members have made that point. I ask the minister to confirm how the outcome-based approach will help to address the current postcode lot...
Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab)
Lab
I am pleased to make Labour’s final contribution to this debate on the carers and young carers strategies. It has been an excellent debate, with good contrib...
Shona Robison
SNP
I thank all members who took part in the debate. There were a number of positive and constructive speeches. It is clear that all parties acknowledge the impa...