PARLIAMENTARY: National Care Service (Scotland) Bill (Stage 2)

The Scottish Government introduced the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill in the Scottish Parliament on 20 June 2022. The Parliament’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee published its Stage 1 report on the general principles of the Bill on 22 February 2024. On 29 February 2024, the Parliament voted to approve the general principles of the Bill at Stage 1. 

The Committee issued a call for written evidence to hear your views about the draft amendments the Scottish Government is proposing to make to the Bill as introduced at Stage 2.

As we have made clear, we share the Scottish government’s desire to improve the quality and consistency of social care and community health services. We are not for or against the creation of an NCS. Instead, we set out clear priorities for reform including: 

• Achieving a workforce that reflects increasing clinical need
• Improved workforce planning as well as compliance with the Health and Care (Staffing) Act 2019
• Fair pay, terms and conditions for nursing staff employed in the social care sector, as well as improved access to training and development and clear career pathways
• Clear clinical and professional governance structures and processes
• An improved commissioning process which is based on outcomes and a proper assessment of unmet need and future demand, ensures fair work and obliges and funds providers to staff their services safely
• Improved social care nursing workforce data.