Ministerial Call with Key Stakeholder Steering Group (KSSG)
We heard that while part 1 of the NCS Bill will not proceed the remaining sections have broad support across Parliament. These include carers legislation, Anne’s Law, and ethical commissioning. The Minister is also supporting a single scheme of delegation to apply across Scotland which would mean that Highland will conform with the rest of Scotland.
The minister also confirmed that the Scottish Government is looking at options for secondary legislation to support a stronger lived experience voice on Integrated Joint Boards.
We also heard that the Advisory Board which is to replace the National Care Board is expected to meet in March. The Minister indicated that she wished to appoint an independent chair to lead the board and will favour an appointment of someone with lived experience of receiving or providing care. She expects that the Board will be immediately providing advice to her on national programmes and on the options to address delayed discharge in addition to exploring national and local workforce planning for social care.
Our SASW representative, Frank Reilly, asked the Minister to note that the National Social Work Agency (NSWA or Executive Agency) and the Office of the Chief Social Work Advisor (OCSWA) would no longer be enshrined in law with the loss of part 1 of the Bill. He asked if she could provide assurances to social workers that a non-statutory Executive Agency and OCSWA will have the powers needed to make the systems changes that are urgently needed to ensure that social workers can protect human rights and social justice. In her response she hinted that her team were in the process of drafting proposals that may include these elements at Stage 3 of the Bill.