National Care Service: statement of benefits
Sets out the benefits of the National Care Service that can be achieved, through legislation and co-design. Highlights where further evidence gathering and consideration may still be required to help inform future decisions around its design and delivery.
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What happens next
This statement is just the beginning of the conversation. The Scottish Government is committed to establishing a functioning NCS by the end of the current parliamentary term in 2026, and we pledged to bring forward the legislation to enable its creation by the end of June 2022.
We have introduced the NCS Bill to Parliament, which sets out a framework for the changes we want to make and give Scottish Ministers powers to gradually work through the detail. We will not rush this process as we want to create and co-design the detail through our continued engagement with people both with experience of accessing support and providing that support.
Taking this approach to a Bill allows us to engage with people at every stage and communicate and collaborate to get the delivery right for people. It also means that as the NCS grows and develops new ways of doing things, it can respond to those changes quickly.
The Scottish Government will lead and co-ordinate the change programme. The closer we get towards 2026 the more the transition activity will move to our partner organisations.
To support the transition across our health and social care system, people are already working together and collaborating with communities and those who use our services to improve people's experience of our system. While the NCS is being developed, new and ongoing national improvement approaches – including senior systems leadership programmes, induction training sessions for integration authorities and the lead agency, regular individual and collective leadership support, and a framework to enable improvements to local services and person-centred care – are all supporting the successful delivery of integrated services. We remain committed to continuous improvement and strive to realise the potential in the system right now.
We look forward to working with you all over the coming years to develop a NCS for everyone and provide the quality of community health and social care support we all deserve.
Contact
Email: nationalcareservice@gov.scot
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