IMPROVING SERVICES?
A period of intense engagement is underway to ensure streamlined public services are delivered for Scotland, Public Service Reform Secretary Ivan McKee has said.
This week’s Programme for Government set out how the Scottish Government plans to deliver stronger and efficient public services that are sustainable for generations to come.
Plans include replacing the current 14 territorial health boards with two strategic health boards, removing unnecessary duplication and overlap in public services and seeking a clear shared direction on substantial reform to local governance, including social care.
Mr McKee said: “Public service reform is at the heart of this Government’s priorities for the next five years and this work will help to ensure that every pound of investment is focused on frontline delivery, with the right staff in the right roles to deliver real improvements in public services.
“I will meet public sector leaders and other key partners at the Public Service Reform Summit later this month to discuss the challenges and opportunities posed by public service reform and the agenda set-out in the Programme for Government.
“My colleagues and I are also engaged in intensive dialogue with public bodies, NHS Boards, local government, trade unions, the third sector, businesses and communities to strengthen the work that is already taking place and to ensure that proactive leadership and collaboration are central to our approach.
“Our focus over the coming months is to build a shared understanding of how we will deliver the changes necessary to support the needs of diverse communities across Scotland.”
COSLA President, Councillor Shona Morrison, has responded to Scottish Government’s Programme for Government plans: “The Programme for Government is a significant statement of the Scottish Government’s priorities, and we will take time to consider its detail carefully.
“There are important implications for local government and council services, particularly the proposed NHS reforms and what they will mean for the future delivery of social care.
“Over the coming days, COSLA will engage closely with our member councils and with Scottish Ministers to ensure these proposals are focused on what is best for communities across Scotland and respect the democratic legitimacy of local government.
“Public services work best when decisions are taken as close to communities as possible. We look forward to meaningful engagement with the Scottish Government and believe that the dialogue on the future of local governance must be carried forward with councils and COSLA as the collective voice of local government.”
STUC: Programme for Government ‘reckless rather than revolutionary’
Commenting on the Programme for Government, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “Presenting the public with a misleading choice of cuts packaged as public service reform was disingenuous at best and a falsehood at worst from the Scottish Government.
“Crushing down Scotland’s health boards into two may seem bold on paper but further centralising power when local communities are crying out for health and social care services tailored to their needs seems more reckless than revolutionary.
“This is not the way to do public sector reform. Before the axe is swung on any public service, whether health, council or social care, Scottish Government ministers would do well to engage meaningfully and purposefully with the workers who deliver on the ground. This cannot be done in the timescales outlined.
“Measures on food cap prices, childcare, breakfast clubs and bus fare caps are welcome. However, by avoiding the big decisions on wealth redistribution – on council tax reform, wealth taxes and taking national stakes in our energy infrastructure – cost of living measures will always fall short of the radical transformation both our economy and communities require.
“We will be engaging actively with Government on its promise to bring forward a responsible strategy for data centres in Scotland. We need to take stock of how such projects can benefit decent jobs, workers and the communities in which they will reside. We need to move away from industrial strategy that allows our heavy industry, manufacturing and renewables sectors to be sold off to the highest bidders with little public benefit in return.
“Finally, it’s deeply welcome the First Minister has pledged further support for survivors of gender-based violence. It’s time that all organisations, employers and society as a whole adopts a zero-tolerance approach to violence against women and girls and it’s correct that this is a strategic priority for the Scottish Government in which the First Minister will find support from Scotland’s trade unions.”
