Hansard

Thank you, Presiding Officer, for the opportunity to address the Parliament today on the Care Reform (Scotland) Bill. I thank the convener and members of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee and all the other committees that were involved for their diligent scrutiny of the bill, as well as members and their researchers who contributed and engaged with us on amendments to the bill.

I also thank stakeholders from across the health and social care landscape and everyone who contributed to co-design. Thousands of people from across Scotland with lived experience of accessing care have given us their time and expertise to shape the bill and wider social care reform. Their voices have inspired lasting meaningful change.

There is broad agreement that Scotland’s social care system must change. Although we have taken a revised approach to the bill, our ambition for a national care service remains. The bill is now focused on making vital improvements that we all agree are essential. They will make a real difference and provide a road map for the improvement of social care, social work and community health.

I am honoured to welcome the members of the care home relatives Scotland group who join us in the public gallery today. Among them are relatives of Anne Duke, who Anne’s law is named after. I have been profoundly impacted by the conversations that I have had with the group. The emotional harm and trauma that they and their loved ones and many others suffered as a result of being unable to see one another for such long and isolating periods during the pandemic must be acknowledged. To ensure that that never happens again, Anne’s law will recognise family and friends as essential care supporters and as key members of their loved ones’ care team, not just visitors.

All this started when Anne’s daughter, Natasha Hamilton, lodged a petition with the Scottish Parliament in November 2020 calling for care home residents to be allowed a designated visitor. Her tenacity and unwavering commitment mean that Anne’s law will become law today. Further, the bill now ensures greater oversight on visiting decisions. People will be able to request reviews of those decisions, which will ensure that the voices and needs of those living in care homes are truly heard. I thank the members of the care home relatives Scotland group for their constructive engagement over many years, which has led us to this point.

This week is carers week, and this year’s theme is “caring about equality”. Too many unpaid carers miss out on opportunities in life, and the bill will ensure that unpaid carers have a right to breaks, which will support them to have a life alongside caring. To support that, we have added £5 million to our voluntary sector short breaks fund for 2025-2026, bringing it up to £13 million, so that more carers can take the time off that they deserve. A new national chief social work adviser will champion social work across our health and care systems and provide professional leadership nationally. They will be supported by the national social work agency, which will spearhead the effort to promote the social work profession, strengthen collaboration and improve education and professional development.

The bill includes changes that will improve access to independent advocacy. The Scottish Independent Advocacy Alliance has told us that the best way forward is to incrementally increase funding year on year to ensure that services remain high quality and sustainable. I am really pleased to be able to announce an extra £500,000 in funding for 2026-27 to increase the provision of independent advocacy services and guarantee that people are heard and involved in decisions about their care.

Ethical procurement plays a significant role in the quality of care services, which is why the bill gives stakeholders more flexibility when buying services. It also introduces another procurement route for the third sector, which makes it easier to compete for contracts. The bill will empower people to access information, when they need it, about their own needs and care. It also helps professionals by improving the flow of information across care settings and ensuring the compatibility of systems, which will remove digital barriers so that people can focus on what matters.

The bill is only one element of our wider and ambitious programme of social care reform. Last month, the national care service advisory board met for the first time. It will provide independent oversight through a diverse range of voices, from unpaid carers and those who access care to care providers and national health service and local authority leaders, which will ensure that every perspective is heard. The board will help drive improvement and ensure that services are consistent, fair and high quality, no matter where people live in Scotland.

The advisory board will work alongside established national programmes such as: getting it right for everyone, which promotes and enables person-led support right across Scotland; self-directed support, which plays a crucial role by giving people more choice and control over the care that they receive, which is why we have invested £22 million in our SDS improvement plan; our commitment to fair work and fair pay for all care workers in Scotland, which includes increasing pay for social workers; and our targeted programme to reduce delayed discharge.

As I laid out in January, our new approach to the NCS means that local authorities and health boards will retain their existing statutory responsibilities. I look forward to working with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the NHS to drive forward the improvements that the advisory board suggests. Each of the national programmes has improved social care services across Scotland and will be vital pillars in the national care service. They represent what thousands of people with lived experience have told us is needed. However, we need to pass the legislation to fully realise our shared goal of improving social care, social work and community health for the people of Scotland.

I move,

That the Parliament agrees that the Care Reform (Scotland) Bill be passed.