Scottish Government Abandons National Care Service Plans Amid Opposition

The Scottish Government has officially scrapped its flagship National Care Service plan following significant resistance from unions, councils, and opposition parties.

The initiative, initially hailed as a transformative post-Covid measure by Nicola Sturgeon’s administration, aimed to centralize social care provision across Scotland, mirroring the inception of the National Health Service.

Despite £30 million spent on preparatory work, including £2 million on private consultants like KPMG and PwC, the plan failed to gain the necessary support to move forward. Social Care Minister Maree Todd announced the decision to abandon the first phase of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill, which proposed regional care boards accountable to ministers.

Instead of pursuing structural reform, Todd outlined a new approach focused on driving up standards without legislating for centralized governance. She told Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs):

“We made considerable effort to find compromise and a way forward, but it is clear those proposals are not supported by this chamber. I have concluded that we must deliver our Scottish National Care Service without legislating for structural reform, securing a different means to deliver our goals.”

The Scottish Government will now establish an advisory body to guide the sector and implement reforms aimed at improving care delivery. Among the new priorities are enshrining “Anne’s Law” into primary legislation to protect care home visitation rights, enhancing digital services, and providing breaks for unpaid carers.

Opposition parties were quick to criticize the U-turn, with Conservative MSP and GP Sandesh Gulhane accusing them of wasting resources with little to show for it.

Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the financial and practical cost of the initiative:

“The SNP has spent £2m on private consultants and £30m in total on this bill, none of which has gone to frontline care services. That money could have funded a million extra hours of social care, stopped care home closures, or prevented cuts to care packages.

It’s been three years, three cabinet secretaries, and two ministers, and still no tangible improvements to Scotland’s social care system. What a waste of time and money.”

Despite shelving the National Care Service, Todd stressed the government’s ongoing commitment to reforming social care:

“Throughout my conversations with people, the case for reform has remained clear. Despite the best efforts of many, our social care system is not delivering the care and support people require to live and thrive. There is an overwhelming need for change now.”

She also highlighted the growing momentum in England and Wales for national approaches to social care reform, suggesting that Scotland’s efforts align with broader UK trends.

Industry observers and care sector leaders expressed mixed reactions. While some welcomed the acknowledgment of the need for reform, many criticized the wasted resources and the lack of direct benefits to care services. A representative from a leading care organization stated:

“What we need now is clarity, collaboration, and actionable measures that directly address the challenges facing care providers, including staffing shortages, funding gaps, and rising costs. The people who rely on social care cannot afford more delays.”

A Scottish government spokesman said: “The National Care Service has not been scrapped.”

He said that a “revised approach” to the National Care Service, including amended proposals for the Bill, had been put forward to parliament.

The spokesman added: “As the Minister for Social Care made clear, these proposals will deliver a National Care Service that improves the experience of everyone who relies on social care, social work and community health in Scotland.”