Public appointment: Members appointed to the Council of the Scottish Social Services Council

The Minister for Children, Young People & the Promise, Ms Don, today announced the appointment of Jillian Brannan, David Heaney and Frank Reilly as Council Members of the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC).

Members

Jillian Brannan is currently a registered social worker with the SSSC. She has over 30 years of experience in the social work/ social care sector, where she has held a range of different positions in practice, management, strategy and education. Jillian has worked for Local Authorities in both Scotland and England, and has worked in Scottish Higher Education as a social work lecturer. She brings to the SSSC Council a broad knowledge and understanding of key issues in the sector, alongside the ability to contribute to service development and strategic planning. Jillian is familiar with the work of social work regulators having participated in several engagement opportunities and, in addition, serving as a member of Social Work England's inaugural National Advisory Forum. In this role Jillian contributed to a wide variety of co-produced workstreams as well as offering insights as a critical friend to the organisation.

David Heaney joined Strathclyde Regional Council in 1985 and went onto work for Glasgow City, East Lothian and Fife Councils. In his most recent role with Fife Health and Social Care Partnership, he was responsible for a wide range of health and social care services and led a series of complex staffing and service redesign programmes, as well as large-scale capital projects designed to transform residential and day care services. In addition to his local government service, David has worked for Audit Scotland where he led full-council Best Value audits, was director of a national third sector organisation, and worked for the NHS developing strategic partnerships with local authorities. During his time at East Lothian Council, he was seconded to the Scottish Government to develop support systems for emerging health and social care partnerships.

Frank Reilly began his career as a home maker and addiction counsellor in 1989, before managing an addiction project in Hamilton. Over the next 20 years he developed mental health services, public engagement, and workforce planning in the NHS and in forensic mental health. Latterly he was appointed Director of the Scottish Recovery Network which gave him the first real opportunity to explore his own lived experience of depression as a tool to help others. Before becoming an independent consultant in health and social care he was a strategic lead with the Simon Community supporting the West teams to deliver care and support to the most vulnerable in society. He is currently Independent Advisor to the Scottish Association for Social Work providing supporting the voice of social workers in the development of the National Care Service Frank comes to this role with a passion for community and relationship based practice, experience of delivering and managing social and health care at a crucial time.

Appointment

The appointments will be for three years and will run from 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2027.

The appointments are regulated by the Ethical Standards Commissioner.

Remuneration

The appointments are part-time and attract a remuneration of £165.14 per day for a time commitment of five days per month.

Other ministerial appointments

Jillian Brannan, David Heaney and Frank Reilly do not hold any other public appointments.

Political activity

All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last five years (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.   

Jillian Brannan, David Heaney and Frank Reilly have had no political activity within the last five years.

Background

The Scottish Social Services Council is the regulator for the social work, social care and early years workforce in Scotland. Their work means the people of Scotland can count on social services being provided by a trusted, skilled and confident workforce.

SSSC protects the public by registering social workers, social care and early years workers, setting standards for their practice, conduct, training and education and by supporting their professional development. Where people fall below the standards of practice and conduct they can investigate and take action.

Scottish Social Services Council:

• publish the national codes of practice for people working in social work, social care and early years services and their employers
• register people working in social work, social care and early years and make sure they adhere to our codes of practice
• promote and regulate their learning and development
• are the national lead for workforce development and planning for the social work, social care and early years workforce in Scotland.

The SSSC Register was set up under the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 to regulate social service workers and to promote their education and training.