Tag: NHS

Right Care, Right Place: Healthcare awareness campaign launched

Scots are being urged to play their part to ease pressure on the NHS this winter as an awareness campaign is launched.

Targeted advertising on TV, radio and online will encourage people to get the right care in the right place – diverting them away from busy A&E wards where appropriate.

It will make clear that – if a condition is not life-threatening – people can visit their local pharmacy, dial NHS 24 on 111, or contact their GP. It will also signpost people to the NHS Inform website which provides practical self-help guides.

Pandemic backlogs, Brexit-driven staff shortages and inflation costs have all contributed to make this the most challenging winter the NHS has ever faced.

This advertising campaign is the latest step in the £600 million winter resilience plan which is already recruiting an extra 1,000 extra staff, vaccinating the public from COVID-19 and the flu, and prioritising care for the most vulnerable.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf visited Edinburgh’s Bangholm Medical Centre to hear experiences of how multi-disciplinary teams are already embracing the approach. He said: “I am under no illusion that this winter will be the toughest in the history of our great NHS, which is why I am pulling every lever at my disposal to help ease pressure where possible.

“This campaign will make it easier than ever to know where to go to get the right care in the right place – saving patients time and freeing up space in our emergency departments.

“It is the latest step in our £600 million resilience plan to support our NHS through the tough winter ahead, which will recruit 1,000 extra staff, vaccinate the public from COVID-19 and flu, and prioritise care for the most vulnerable.”

Peju Adeyemo, Physician Associate, at Bangholm Medical Centre said: “Physician associates are healthcare professionals with a generalist medical education, who work alongside doctors providing medical care as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team.

“We are able to alleviate pressure on GPs because we can see a broad spectrum of patients, provide holistic care and follow up. Furthermore, we are able to see more acute patients thereby freeing up time for GPs to see more chronic conditions where 15 minutes appointments may not be suitable.”

Record pay offer for NHS staff – but it’s not enough, say nurses

All NHS workers offered £2,205 pay rise but nurses to go ahead with strike ballot

NHS staff in Scotland are set to receive a record pay rise of £2,205 – an average 7% pay uplift – to help tackle the cost of living crisis and retain staff during the tougher winter months. 

This increased offer was made after constructive negotiations between the Scottish Government and NHS Unions, which lasted into the early hours of Friday morning (21 October).

The offer would mean the lowest paid seeing a rise of more than 11%, with qualified nursing staff receiving up to 8.45%, helping the lowest paid staff through the cost of living crisis. 

If agreed, the pay uplift, which amounts to almost half a billion pounds (£480m), will benefit more than 160,000 employees including nurses, paramedics, allied health professionals and healthcare support staff.  

This is the largest pay offer given to NHS Scotland Agenda for Change staff since devolution and will mean they remain the best paid in the UK. If accepted, the offer will be backdated to 1 April 2022, and could be added to pay cheques in time for Christmas.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “I am grateful to trade union colleagues and NHS employers for constructive discussions on pay.

“This has been another exceptionally challenging year for our health service and we have a difficult winter ahead, but I am pleased that we are able to recognise the service and dedication of our healthcare and support staff with this pay offer.

“We owe NHS staff a debt of gratitude for leading us through the greatest public health crisis in recent history.

“This improved pay offer – which is the largest of its kind since devolution – reflects their hard work and will go a long way to help them through the cost of living crisis. We are rightly focussing the biggest increases for those who are the lowest paid, as we know the cost crisis is impacting them disproportionately.”

However the Scottish government’s latest pay offer remains a real terms pay cut for the majority of nursing staff, according to the Royal College of Nursing.

The offer comes after discussions with the health trade unions, Cabinet Secretary, Deputy First Minister, Scottish government officials and employers.

Scottish government failed to take the opportunity to recognise the clinical skill, expertise and leadership of registered nurses.

When compared to the previous offer from May 2022, this offer sees a lower percentage increase for those higher up the Agenda for Change bandings. The RCN has called for an across the board pay increase that is 5% above inflation.

Julie Lamberth said: “Nurse staffing levels are dangerously low. We need fair pay to attract more people into nursing and to keep the skilled nurses we already have. 

“We want to be able to provide the best possible care for our patients but too often, the lack of staff and demand on services is standing in our way. Too many of us are making the decision to walk away from the profession. The Scottish Government has the power to stop this. The people of Scotland deserve better, so do we. Please post you ballot back today.”

RCN Scotland Director Colin Poolman said: “Yet again the Scottish Government has failed to listen to our members concerns for the safety of their patients. They have failed to recognise the safety critical role of nursing staff and their essential contribution to our NHS and our nation’s health.

“Under this proposal, registered nurses continue to face a significant real terms pay cut. This is even more stark with the news that inflation reached a 40 year high. Many are making difficult decisions about how to heat their homes, feed their families and travel to work while carrying the burden of being unable to do the best for their patients due to severe staff shortages.

“Our ballot for strike action continues. Today’s offer will make our members more determined to have their voice heard. I would urge members to vote in favour of strike and to post back their ballot papers now.”

Record number of Scotland’s A&E patients wait over eight hours

Responding to the latest figures showing the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh sees only 40.6% of A&E patients within 4 hours, Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “The figures for patients being seen at A&E within 4 hours in Edinburgh remain alarmingly low, even before the anticipated winter crisis hits.

“The Cabinet Secretary for Health has said that ‘recovery from Covid will not happen overnight’, but we are yet to see any evidence of recovery at all. The 4-hour figures for NHS Lothian last averaged above 90% in March 2021, while the figures for Edinburgh Royal last averaged above 90% in October 2020. The trend has been downwards since then.

“Hard-working NHS staff are doing their best for patients in very difficult circumstances, but they are being let down by long-running structural failures which remain unresolved by this SNP-Green government.

“The Scottish Government needs to take urgent action now to arrest two years of decline in our health service, or risk putting patient safety in jeopardy over winter.”

The Scottish Conservatives said: “This week, A&E waiting time figures showed 1506 patients waiting more than half a day in emergency departments.

“Hardworking NHS staff are being pushed beyond their limits and patients are suffering needlessly as a result of SNP inaction.”

Mr Yousaf said: “A&E departments are working under significant pressure and, in common with other healthcare systems across the UK and globally, the pandemic continues to impact performance.

“Recovery from Covid will not happen overnight, which is why we are continuing to work with boards on a number of measures to reduce pressure this winter.”

Comparison Table: NHS Boards and Scotland

Date ↓ NHS Board Attendance % within 4 hours
09-Oct-2022 NHS Ayrshire & Arran 1,818 67.2
09-Oct-2022 NHS Borders 577 60.5
09-Oct-2022 NHS Dumfries & Galloway 956 78.6
09-Oct-2022 NHS Fife 1,328 63
09-Oct-2022 NHS Forth Valley 1,145 39.7
09-Oct-2022 NHS Grampian 1,923 62.5
09-Oct-2022 NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde 6,471 63.6
09-Oct-2022 NHS Highland 1,257 78.4
09-Oct-2022 NHS Lanarkshire 3,793 54.3
09-Oct-2022 NHS Lothian 4,488 61.7
09-Oct-2022 NHS Orkney 95 93.7
09-Oct-2022 NHS Shetland 187 92.5
09-Oct-2022 NHS Tayside 1,546 90.4
09-Oct-2022 NHS Western Isles 100 96
09-Oct-2022 NHSScotland 25,684 64.2

NHS crisis: the faces behind the waiting lists

Responding to Scottish Labour Leader Anas Sarwar raising his late constituent Anne Sinclair’s case at First Minister’s Questions this week, Foysol Choudhury MSP said: “I am grateful to Anas Sarwar for raising the case of Anne Sinclair with the First Minister.

“I raised the case with the First Minister in February and was told that the seven months of delays she had faced in her cancer diagnosis were ‘not at all acceptable’. I agreed with that assessment.

“Unfortunately Anne passed away this summer. Throughout her journey with cancer she was determined that I raise her story in the Parliament, find answers for the delays she faced, and fight so that nobody else was left in the same position. Her sons, who were in the gallery of the Scottish Parliament for FMQs today, have kindly given me permission to continue that fight on their mother’s behalf.

“Anne’s case starkly demonstrates the real people behind the numbers we hear every week in the Scottish Parliament. There are faces behind all the waiting lists, the people waiting in ambulances, and the people who cannot get the care they need. These are not just statistics, they are human beings who deserve dignity in their healthcare.

“Unfortunately Anne was let down, and her sons deserve answers and an apology for the delays in their mother’s diagnosis.

“I want to thank my office staff for pursuing what has often been an emotional case. We all want to see that Anne’s family can be assured that lessons are learned and nobody else will be left in the same position.”

The family of Anne Sinclair, 64 from Edinburgh, said: “We are happy that Foysol Choudhury MSP and Scottish Labour have continued to raise our late mother’s case at the Scottish Parliament.

“We do not wish for any other families to go through what our mum and our family have gone through. Our mum was a fighter and she would want her questions about her late diagnosis to be answered.”

Preparing the NHS for Winter

YOUSAF: ‘this winter will be one of the most challenging our NHS has ever faced’

Additional funding of £8 million for overseas nurse recruitment and increased flexibility for Health Boards to retain staff are among new measures to support the health and care system through what is anticipated to be an extremely challenging winter.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has outlined a number of actions for the coming months backed by more than £600 million of funding. The announcement comes on the back of the latest awful performance figures – August’s waiting times were the worst on record.

Measures to support services include:

  • recruitment of 1,000 additional staff over the course of this winter, including £8 million to recruit up to 750 nurses, midwives and allied health professionals from overseas as well as 250 support staff across acute, primary care and mental health;
  • flexibility for Health Boards to offer ‘pension recycling’, where unused employer contributions can be paid as additional salary, to support the retention of staff;
  • £45 million for the Scottish Ambulance Service to support on-going recruitment, service development and winter planning;
  • £124 million to assist health and social care partnerships expand care at home capacity;  
  • extension of the Social Care Staff Support Fund to 31 March 2023, to ensure staff receive full pay when in COVID isolation;
  • Writing to GPs to communicate the expectation that pre-bookable appointments are made available in every practice, alongside same day, face to face and remote appointments;

The first annual update has also been published on the NHS Recovery Plan which highlights significant progress made in the last year, including increasing NHS workforce to historically high levels, the success of the COVID vaccination programme, and a marked reduction in outpatient waits of over two years.

nhs-recovery-plan-2021-2026Download

Mr Yousaf said: “NHS Scotland’s staffing and funding is already at historically high levels, but as we approach the winter period it is crucial that we look to maximise, and enhance where we can, the capacity of the NHS.

“Given the scale of the escalating cost of living crisis, combined with the continued uncertainty posed by COVID and a possible resurgence of Flu, this winter will be one of the most challenging our NHS has ever faced.

“These measures will support winter resilience across our health and care system, ensuring people get the right care they need at the right time and in the most appropriate setting. We will also expand our workforce, particularly registered nurses to assist with the expected increase in workload.

“We have jointly agreed a number of overarching priorities with Cosla which will help guide our services this winter. We are on course to double our virtual capacity this year and so far have avoided or saved bed days equivalent to adding a large district general hospital.

“We have published the first update on our NHS Recovery Plan which highlights just how much progress we have made in the past year, I am determined to build on this and we will report on progress annually.  

“Our NHS and social care staff have shown remarkable resilience in the face of sustained pressure on services and I would like to thank them for their continued commitment and hard work. As we approach the Winter period their efforts will be vital in ensuring we deliver high quality care for the public.

“To help relieve pressure on services, people should continue to consider whether their condition is an emergency before going to A&E. Local GPs and pharmacies can be contacted during the day for non-critical care, NHS 24 is also available on 111 for non-emergencies.”

The Winter Resilience Overview 2022-23 is backed with more than £600 million of funding through the 2022/23 budget.

NHS Recovery Plan 2021-2026 – Progress Update

Scotland Emergency Department performance falls for the third consecutive month as Health Secretary announces winter plan

Responding to both the latest Emergency Department performance figures for Scotland for August 2022 and yesterday’s announcement by the Health Secretary of the Winter Resilience Overview 2022-23, Dr John-Paul Loughrey, Vice Chair of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine Scotland, said: “The latest Emergency Department performance figures for August show a fall in performance for the third consecutive month.

“We are heading into a very dark and grim winter. Staff are exhausted and are anxious about the months ahead, patients are deeply worried about facing long and dangerous waits for emergency care.

“The Health Secretary yesterday announced the Winter Resilience Overview 2022-23. We welcome the focus on and investment in social care, it is imperative that we bolster the social care workforce to ensure the timely discharge of patients and improve flow throughout our hospitals.

“However, the scale of patient harm occurring as a result of these extremely long waits for admission require more meaningful and urgent intervention and engagement by those empowered to make changes.

“Measures that focus on the avoidance of low acuity patients attending Emergency Departments will not work. The priority must be on increasing the available bed base and a medium- to long-term vision for increasing staff numbers across all grades with an NHS workforce plan for Scotland.

“We appreciate the challenges that the Scottish Government face and we would welcome the opportunity to discuss measures to mitigate patient harm and limit the impact of the looming winter crisis with them.”

Fears for NHS as winter looms

Responding to the latest Emergency Department performance figures published by NHS England for August 2022, President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Katherine Henderson said: “The data is stark. We are worried about the coming winter.

“These are the second worst data on record. Too many patients are waiting too long. We know long waits contribute to patient harm. In August over 29,000 patients waited over 12 hours after a decision to admit was made, with some patients waiting up to three days for a bed.

“We think the consequence of this is shown in the ONS data as 500 excess deaths a week. We must not accept these long stays as normal. We need to see leadership and meaningful action that gets to grips with this crisis.

“We urge the new Prime Minister, Liz Truss, and incoming Health and Social Care Secretary, Therese Coffey (above), to make tackling the crisis in Emergency Care a priority.

The scale of patient harm occurring is shocking. The Emergency Care system is failing to its core functions; it is vital that we mitigate the impact of this crisis ahead of winter and do all we can to keep patients safe and reduce these dangerous waiting times.

“The Prime Minister and Health Secretary must urgently bolster the social care workforce. Thousands of beds are occupied by patients who are medically fit to be discharged, but the lack of social care service means that getting patients home is a slow and complex process.

“This means that hospitals have difficulty in discharging patients in a timely way, leading to exit block, poor flow throughout the hospital and subsequent problems in Emergency Departments and ambulance waits. The need for investment in social care couldn’t be clearer.

“Staff are exhausted, overwhelmed and in the midst of the worst crisis the NHS has ever faced. Widespread shortfalls of staff across all grades and departments mean health care workers are spread increasingly thinly and more prone to burnout – there are currently around 130,000 vacancies in the NHS almost 10% of its workforce.

“The Prime Minister must deliver the fully funded long-term NHS workforce plan that the government pledged to deliver in 2019. Emergency Care is in crisis and there is a shortfall of 2,000-2,500 Emergency Medicine consultants and widespread shortages of vital nursing staff, trainees, SAS doctors and junior and supporting staff are contributing to the challenges.”

The latest Emergency Department performance figures published by NHS England for August 2022for show:

  • There were 1,304,378 attendances at major Emergency Departments
    • There were 1,988,779 total attendances at all Emergency Care facilities
  • 28,756 patients were delayed for 12 hours or more from decision to admit to admission
    • This is the second highest number of 12-hour waits on record, just 561 short of the previous record in July 2022
    • There have now been 178,770 12-hour waits (from decision to admit to admission) so far this year
  • Four-hour performance at major Emergency Departments was 58.0%, this is the second worst four-hour performance on record, the lowest was recorded the previous month, July 2022
    • More than 2 in 5 patients were delayed by four-hours or more
  • Type 1 admissions stood at 350,618 (a daily average of 11,310)
  • 130,528patients spent more than four hours in an Emergency Department from decision to admit to admission (also referred to as ‘trolley waits’)
  • Bed occupancy stood at 92.8% (far higher than the recommended 85%)

Hopsital Episodic Statisticsfor July 2022 published by NHS Digital show:

  • The longest wait in an Emergency Department from time of arrival until treatment was 4,320 minutes or 72 hours
  • The number of patients leaving the department before being seen stood at 6.0%
  • The rate of unplanned reattendance was 9.0%

“We are seeing the sharp demise of the health service”

30,000 patients wait more than 12 hours in A&Es in England in July

Responding to the latest Emergency Department performance figures published by NHS England for July 2022, Vice President of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, Dr Adrian Boyle said: “These performance figures are worse than we could have ever expected for a summer month.

“There were nearly 30,000 12-hour waits (measured from decision to admit to admission) in July 2022, that is more than 3.5 times the total number of 12-hour waits for the whole of 2019.

“This is only the Tip of the Iceberg as the true number of 12-hour waits, measured from time of arrival, is much higher. We urgently need transparency for the scale of the crisis, only then will everyone recognise the reality of the situation and begin to take critical action. We urge NHS England to commit to publishing this data (which is already collected by all Trusts) monthly with immediate effect.

“The crisis is escalating quickly, and health workers are seriously concerned about the quality of care being provided, especially as we exit summer and head into winter. The system is struggling to perform its central function: to deliver care safely and effectively.

“This is a whole-system problem and requires a whole-system approach. There must be total focus on promoting flow throughout the hospital and priority around our ability to provide an NHS that helps patients in an emergency.

“We must ensure patients are discharged in a timely way, so beds are freed and patients in A&Es are able to move through the system and be treated. Flow and discharge rely heavily on an effective social care service that has sufficient workforce – the government must get to grips with this.

“Across the UK we urgently need 13,000 beds to drive meaningful improvement: in Emergency Medicine in England there is a shortfall of 2,000-2,500 Consultants as well as widespread shortages of nurses, trainees, SAS doctors and junior and supporting staff.

“The social care workforce must also be bolstered, which can be achieved by giving these core workers a fair wage that respects and recognises the value of their role. Retention of all health and social care workers is vital, staff are burned out and exhausted, and some are considering their careers.

“We are seeing the sharp demise of the health service and we are seeing little to no political will to act on or acknowledge the crisis – neither of the leadership candidates seem to recognise the scale of the crisis at hand.

“Winter is looming, which will bring a wave of flu and covid and increased footfall in Emergency Departments, with the data as dire as it is today and the scale of patient harm already occurring, we dread to think how much worse things could get for patients.

In winter four-hour performance typically decreases while the number of 12-hour waits significantly increases. We may reach a point where only half of patients are seen or treated within four-hours and see an even higher number of 12-hour waits.”

The latest Emergency Department performance figures published by NHS England for June 2022 for show:

  • There were 1,385,080 attendances at major Emergency Departments
    • There were 2,163,779 total attendances at all Emergency Care facilities
  • 29,317 patients were delayed for 12 hours or more from decision to admit to admission, this is just over 3.5 times higher than the total number of 12-hour waits over the whole of 2019
    • This is the highest number of 12-hour waits on record
    • This is a one third increase compared to the previous month, June 2022, or an increase of over 7,000 12-hour waits
    • There have now been 150,014 12-hour waits (from decision to admit to admission) so far this year
  • Four-hour performance at major Emergency Departments was 57.0%, this is the worst four-hour performance on record
    • More than 2 in 5 patients were delayed by four-hours or more
  • Type 1 admissions stood at 358,284 (a daily average of 11,575
  • 136,221patients spent more than four hours in an Emergency Department from decision to admit to admission (also referred to as ‘trolley waits’)

Persistent understaffing of NHS a serious risk to patient safety, warns Westminster committee

‘We now face the greatest workforce crisis in history in the NHS and in social care’

The NHS and social care face the greatest workforce crisis in their history, compounded by the absence of a credible government strategy to tackle the situation, say MPs in a new Health and Social Care Committee report.

In the NHS, persistent understaffing poses a serious risk to staff and patient safety in routine and emergency care.

The Workforce: recruitment, training and retention report outlines the scale of the workforce crisis: new research suggests the NHS in England is short of 12,000 hospital doctors and more than 50,000 nurses and midwives; evidence on workforce projections say an extra 475,000 jobs will be needed in health and an extra 490,000 jobs in social care by the early part of the next decade; hospital waiting lists reached a record high of nearly 6.5 million in April.

The report finds the Government to have shown a marked reluctance to act decisively. The refusal to do proper workforce planning risked plans to tackle the Covid backlog – a key target for the NHS.

The number of full-time equivalent GPs fell by more than 700 over three years to March 2022, despite a pledge to deliver 6,000 more. Appearing before the inquiry, the then Secretary of State Sajid Javid admitted he was not on track to deliver them. The report describes a situation where NHS pension arrangements force senior doctors to reduce working hours as a “national scandal” and calls for swift action to remedy.

Maternity services are flagged as being under serious pressure with more than 500 midwives leaving in a single year. A year ago the Committee’s maternity safety inquiry concluded almost 2,000 more midwives were needed and almost 500 more obstetricians. The Secretary of State failed to give a deadline by when a shortfall in midwife numbers would be addressed.

Pay is a crucial factor in recruitment and retention in social care. Government analysis estimated more than 17,000 jobs in care paid below the minimum wage.

A separate report by the Committee’s panel of independent experts (Expert Panel) published today rates the government’s progress overall to meet key commitments it has made on workforce as “inadequate”.

Health and Social Care Committee Chair Rt Hon Jeremy Hunt said: “Persistent understaffing in the NHS poses a serious risk to staff and patient safety, a situation compounded by the absence of a long term plan by the government to tackle it.

“We now face the greatest workforce crisis in history in the NHS and in social care with still no idea of the number of additional doctors, nurses and other professionals we actually need. NHS professionals know there is no silver bullet to solve this problem but we should at least be giving them comfort that a plan is in place.

“This must be a top priority for the new Prime Minister.”

George Cross for our NHS

Her Majesty The Queen has presented the George Cross to the NHS for 74 years of dedicated service.

The award for heroism was accepted by representatives of the NHS from Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland in an audience at Windsor Castle.

It is only the third time in the award’s 82 year history that the honour has been presented to an organisation and follows the efforts of health and social care workers across the country during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Accepting the award on behalf of the health service in Scotland was NHS Scotland Chief Executive Caroline Lamb, and Eleanor Grant, a palliative care nurse specialist at University Hospital in Wishaw who was named Nurse of the Year at the Scottish Health Awards 2021.

Ms Lamb said: “We wouldn’t be where we are today without our health services. NHS and social care staff have cared for all of us on the frontline of the pandemic.

“Thanks to their dedication and duty our NHS has saved countless lives and the George Cross is a symbol of the country’s gratitude. I know that the rest of Scotland will join me in paying tribute and giving thanks for everything the NHS and wider social care has done for us not only during the pandemic, but since its formation in 1948.

“The NHS is only the third entity to receive the George Cross and I am truly honoured. This award goes beyond the commitment and personal sacrifices staff have made over the past two-and-a-half years. It reflects the wider admiration and gratitude we all have for the NHS.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone working across the health and social care sector for everything they have done, and continue to do, to care for us all.”

Ms Grant has been a nurse for 35 years, working in St Andrew’s Hospice before re-joining the NHS to provide hospital patients with palliative and end-of-life care.

Ms Grant said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to accept this award on behalf of my colleagues across health and social care In Scotland. It’s an honour and a privilege.

“For me, COVID-19 has changed how I work. When patients were unable to have loved ones with them in their final moments, it was for me to be there. We all pulled together in the toughest of times and did what we had to do.

“The George Cross is sometimes awarded to individuals involved in the military and it feels quite fitting for this recognition to be given to the NHS as the early days of the pandemic did feel like a battle.”

National Care Service Bill published

“This is the most ambitious reform of public services since the creation of the NHS” – Humza Yousaf

Legislation to establish a National Care Service for Scotland (NCS) will ensure the best possible outcomes for people accessing care and support and end the ‘postcode lottery’ of care, says the Scottish Government.

The National Care Service Bill will make Scottish Ministers accountable for adult social care in Scotland – a change strongly supported by those responding to the recent consultation on the plans.

The Bill provides the foundation for the NCS, and enables the fine detail of the new  service to be co-designed with people who have direct experience of social care services.

Plans have also been published to explain how that collaboration will work.

The aims are to:

  • support people in their own homes or among family, friends and community wherever possible, with seamless transitions between services;
  • create a charter of rights and responsibilities for social care, with a robust complaints and redress process;
  • introduce rights to breaks for unpaid carers
  • introduce visiting rights for residents living in adult care homes, giving legal force to Anne’s Law
  • ensure fair employment practices and national pay bargaining for the social care workforce;
  • focus on prevention and early intervention before people’s needs escalate;
  • create a new National Social Work Agency to promote training and development, provide national leadership and set and monitor standards in social work.

On a visit to Aberdeen-based charity VSA, which supports people with a wide range of social care needs, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Humza Yousaf said: “This is the most ambitious reform of public services since the creation of the NHS.

“People have told us they want a National Care Service, accountable to Scottish Ministers, with services designed and delivered locally. That’s exactly what we are going to deliver.

“The design of the NCS will have human rights embedded throughout, and the actual shape and detail of how the NCS works will be designed with those who have direct experience of accessing and providing social care.

“We are going to end the postcode lottery of care in Scotland. Through the National Care Service we’re going to ensure everyone has access to consistently high-quality care and support so they can live a full life. This is our ambitious goal and while it will not be easy to achieve it is vital that we do.”

Social Care Minister Kevin Stewart said: “One of the key benefits of a National Care Service will be to ensure our social care and social work workforce are valued, and that unpaid carers get the recognition they deserve.

“When this Bill passes we will be able to have the new National Care Service established by the end of this parliament. In the interim we will continue to take steps to improve outcomes for people accessing care – working with key partners, including local government, and investing in the people who deliver community health and social care and support.”

Chief Operating Officer of VSA Aberdeen John Booth, said: “We welcome the announcement that the National Care Service Bill has been published. With this being the biggest reform since the creation of the NHS we will now take the time to properly review the bill to understand the opportunities and challenges that lie ahead.

“We look forward to working with the Scottish Government to co-design the NCS to ensure the voices and needs of the vulnerable people who rely on our vital services are heard.”

Local government umbrella body COSLA has issued a statement:

A massive restructuring project, limited resources, local government opposition … Now, what could possibly go wrong?

National Care Service (Scotland) Bill