Hansard

First and foremost, I pay tribute to the carers and care workers who have consistently looked to the Parliament to legislate for a fairer and much more compassionate social care system. Many of them have joined us here throughout the afternoon. I know that Anne’s family are here, too.

I also wish to thank the many third sector organisations—those that gave evidence throughout the different stages of the bill and everyone who has engaged with, shaped and challenged the bill. Their contribution has been invaluable.

I acknowledge my colleague Gillian Mackay, who worked tirelessly throughout the process. Her engagement and her amendments at stage 2, which were developed in close partnership with carers and supporting organisations, have been instrumental. I am proud to have lodged amendments that build on her work, particularly around strengthening independent advocacy. I also thank the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport for her constructive engagement with Gillian and, latterly, with me.

There is no hiding the fact that the bill has been enormously challenging, however. The intention and ambition behind the original bill deserve recognition. The National Care Service (Scotland) Bill aimed to build on years of efforts to better integrate health and social care. Going back to my time as a councillor, I remember how hard it was, in the early days, to bring that provision together on the ground.

Reform of this scale requires openness and collaboration, particularly when we are trying to fix issues that many people across the sector have been raising for years: unclear leadership, poor information sharing, fragmented funding streams, a postcode lottery for care and an overcomplicated landscape. Those cracks, which were already present, were deepened by the pandemic. We know how wide the gap can be between good policy ideas and real improvements on the ground that people feel.

Health and care reform has always been tough, and this bill is no exception. Integration, although necessary, remains deeply complex. My hope is that the Government reflects carefully on the missteps in this process. It is not time to retreat from that ambition but to learn how to do better next time. It is obviously important to involve people sooner, build consensus earlier and maintain focus on the people who the reforms are meant to serve.

As we get into the stage 3 debate, it is important to be honest. We wish that the bill had delivered more—more for those who rely on social care, for paid and unpaid carers and for the workforce. The need for improvement has not gone away; it remains urgent, and care reform must not be shelved.

It is clear that this is a long-term goal that must now be achieved incrementally. The bill has moved a long way from where it started. It is not perfect and key issues remain up for debate. However, we have arrived at a place today that reflects a more consensual approach from the sector, carers and parliamentarians across the chamber.

For many, the bill will feel like cautious progress, but it is progress nonetheless. It delivers some important changes—Anne’s law, centrally. That is huge progress. Strengthened independent advocacy, new rights for unpaid carers and steps towards fairer procurement are welcome and necessary.

I call on the Scottish Government to continue the work to implement the recommendations of the Feeley review, but it must do so while learning from its mistakes, engaging earlier and building wider consensus. Greater compromise will be essential, especially with local government and third sector partners in the unions. The complexity of care reform should never be a reason to give up, but it should be a real reason to lead.