Meeting of the Parliament 02 November 2022
The bill sets out our clear principles for the future of a national care service, and it is against those principles that the bill should be scrutinised, the detail designed and the benefit monitored. We are not just suggesting change to address the challenges of today; we must build a public service that is fit for tomorrow.
Today, in Scotland, at least 232,000 people—one in 25—receive care support. Demand will only grow, and we need to recognise the risk of increased pressure on an already fragile system by acting now.
Our ambition for the national care service is to establish a social care system that not just enables people to survive, but empowers them to thrive. Health and care support is an investment, and it must work to remove barriers and tackle inequalities. The principles of any new system should be person centred, with human rights at the very heart. That means that the NCS must be delivered in a way that respects, protects and fulfils the human rights of people who access health and care support.
Another fundamental principle is inclusion. This morning, I visited Tiphereth, a Camphill community that is based in Edinburgh, to learn more about its work in supporting the life and work of adults with learning disabilities and autism. We must get it right for everyone. We have an opportunity to include many people across society in a conversation about their needs—a conversation that, traditionally, they have been excluded from.
I thank carers, both paid and unpaid, for their remarkable work to provide critical and invaluable support to people across our country. The cost of living crisis is having an impact on everyone in Scotland, including the social care workforce and unpaid carers. By working in collaboration with our partners, we want to see improvements in recruitment and retention, fair work and ethical commissioning.
Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) rose—
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) rose—