Tag: Care Reform (Scotland) Bill

Putting People First: Anne’s Law and Meaningful Connection

 The Scottish Parliament’s recent passing of the Care Reform (Scotland) Bill – formerly the National Care Service Bill – marks an important milestone in the journey to strengthen the rights of care home residents.

A key provision within the legislation is Anne’s Law, which gives people living in adult care homes the legal right to maintain in-person contact with those who are important to them – even in exceptional circumstances such as an outbreak of infectious disease.

Named in memory of Anne Duke, whose family and others campaigned for residents’ rights to visits during the pandemic, it acknowledges the essential role played by families and friends in providing care, connection and companionship to their loved ones.

It builds on the Health and Social Care Standards and enshrines the right to receive visits in law. You can read more about the Bill here.

Meaningful connection with others is essential to everyone’s emotional, mental and physical health and wellbeing, and is a fundamental human right. The prevalence of loneliness, especially among older people, has been described as a public health crisis. But meaningful connection is about more than just visiting. It’s about all those relationships and connections which are vital to people’s identity, quality of life, and sense of belonging. 

The Care Inspectorate, through the Meaningful Connection, Visiting and Anne’s Law Project, will soon publish new good practice guidance to support care homes in promoting meaningful connection as part of everyday care.

The guidance is evidence-based and has been developed in partnership with people experiencing care, their families and friends, care providers, and professionals across the sector. It supports a rights-based, person-centred approach to care.  

The guidance includes real-life examples, reflective prompts, and practical information to support services in ensuring everyone can get the best out of life and experience connection in ways that are meaningful and meet their individual needs  

Look out for the full guidance, coming soon on the Care Inspectorate website. 

Care Reform (Scotland) Bill passed

Transforming social care?

Plans to transform social care across Scotland will be progressed after the Scottish Parliament approved the Care Reform (Scotland) Bill.

Thousands of people with experience of accessing, delivering and receiving social care, social work and community health services have helped co-design the legislation, putting people at the heart of reform.

The Bill will bring forward a number of enhancements to social care that include:

  • enshrining Anne’s Law into legislation to uphold the rights of people living in adult care homes to see loved ones and identify an essential care supporter
  • strengthening support for unpaid carers by establishing a legal right to breaks, following the additional £13 million already allocated for up to 40,000 carers to take voluntary sector short breaks
  • empowering people to access information on their care and improving the flow of information across care settings
  • improving access to independent advocacy to guarantee people are heard and involved in decisions about their own care
  • creating a National Chief Social Work Adviser role to provide professional leadership and champion the sector, as part of plans for a new National Social Work Agency.

Alongside the Bill, an advisory board will be established to drive progress and scrutinise reform, replacing an interim board that met for the first time in May.

Social Care Minister Maree Todd said: “More than 200,000 people across Scotland access care each year.

“Anyone may need care during their lives, and that care should be high quality and delivered consistently across Scotland.

“That is why we have been so determined to bring forward much-needed reform, alongside the work we are already doing through the near £2.2 billion total investment in social care and integration in 2025-26.

“Reform is not easy to deliver and it is being made more challenging by recent UK Government changes to Employer National Insurance Contributions and changes to migration. These will undoubtedly impact on care delivery.

“However, we have remained steadfast in our commitment to deliver the sustainable change to social care that people urgently need.

“This is a significant step that will strengthen the rights of people living in care homes, support unpaid carers and social workers and improve experiences for the many people who access social care across Scotland.”