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Meeting of the Parliament 15 September 2011

15 Sep 2011 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament

Item of business

Social Care Services (Procurement)

Robertson, Dennis SNP Aberdeenshire West Watch on SPTV

I declare an interest, as I worked in the social care sector for more than 30 years. As a member of the third sector, I was very much involved in working with a local authority on service procurement.

I applaud Jackie Baillie for not apportioning blame—thank you, Jackie. That was reassuring to hear.

We must consider what is essential in procuring services for our people who require social care across the board. Having sat round the table to look at procurement, I do not believe that quality is compromised. One of my duties as a service manager was to ensure that the quality of care was never compromised, regardless of the cost-cutting exercises that the local authority sometimes imposed.

It is right that every local authority tries to get the best value that it can from organisations with which it has contracts for care provision, because spending from the public purse must be held to account. However, we should never ever compromise on the quality of care.

There will always be examples of care that has been removed or of care that is inappropriate to the need. That comes down to basic assessment, which is essential to ensuring that we provide the care that an individual requires. That care is a moving thing. We cannot think that doing an assessment one week means that it is done for the next two, three or four years. Requirements constantly move and need to be monitored.

That is why it is important that all our people in social care have the appropriate training. It is disturbing to hear that many organisations in the public, private and third sectors are reducing their training budgets. However, many of them are starting to be innovative and to share training costs and are providing appropriate training, which is to be applauded.

We need minimum standards for qualifications. The work that is being done by the Government in collaboration with the Association of Directors of Social Work and the CCPS, and across the third sector, needs to ensure that the national standards and the guidelines that were set in September last year are being met. I note with concern the suggestion that the guidelines are not being adhered to in some authorities. If guidelines are not being adhered to, those authorities should be brought to account. We must ensure that we do not compromise social care in 2011. It should never be compromised at any time, because we are dealing with the most vulnerable in society.

The other day, we welcomed the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy to the Equal Opportunities Committee. She told us that outcomes and preventative care are extremely important and gave assurances about ensuring that we support our carers. The infrastructure has to be in place. Many vulnerable people in society these days are supported by carers, who are often unsung heroes and who are the heart of care. We must ensure that they are supported so that they do not become the people who require care.

I reassure Dr Simpson that the joint futures approach still happens, although a lot of dialogue still goes on. I was certainly a member of joint futures committees in the Grampian area.

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Meeting of the Parliament 15 September 2011

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