Social Covenant Steering Group minutes: September 2024

Attendees and apologies

Social Covenant Steering Group Members

• Tommy Whitelaw
• Dr Caroline Gould
• Chris Fisher
• Ann Marie Penman
• Dr Jim Elder-Woodward
• Martin Robertson
• Dr Pauline Nolan
• John Whitfield
• Marion McArdle
• Shubhanna Hussain-Ahmed

Scottish Government 

• Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport – Maree Todd (Chair)
• National Care Service (NCS) Communications and Engagement
• Embedding Rights and Equalities
• Dementia Policy
• Person Centred Design

Items and actions

Welcome

The Chair welcomed everyone, introduced the SG officials on the call, and outlined the agenda. 

Rethink Dementia Campaign

An SG official from the Dementia Policy Unit presented slides which were circulated to members ahead of the meeting.

After the presentation, members raised the following points:

• Members commented on how moving the campaign is.
• Members pointed out that there has been research around the correlation between deafness and dementia.
• The Alzheimer Society’s campaign adverts have different messaging. The lived experience community felt that they had struck the wrong tone.
• There needs to be high quality social care to let people live independently.
• A member highlighted that most people with dementia cannot speak for themselves and still cannot live well for various reasons. There are more than two sides to every story. 
• The Rethink Dementia Campaign challenges negative stereotyping associated with dementia.

Co-design update

An SG official provided an update on co-design work.  

Members raised the following points:

• ‘Eligibility’ is full of negative connotations. SG: This word will not be used for the sessions.
• The People Led Policy Panel is waiting to be involved in co-design work. It would be good to organise some co-design work with the lived experience groups. SG: We will be in touch about this shortly.
• How will co-design link to other work SG is doing with big organisations on the same topics such as access, ethical commissioning, the board? SG: One complexity is the breadth of the work needed. We will make sure the work coming from other groups such as the Seldom Heard Group on Procurement is fed into policy development. This work also gives policy areas opportunities to do additional co-design, which is why there is some flexibility in the sessions scheduled.
• What would be the relative weighting given to the co-design work compared to the organisational input on the SG programme of developing policy around the National Board membership, ethical commissioning, and all other committees set up? SG: These conversations are running in parallel with the existing programme of work. Some organisations have expressed wishes for time to talk about certain topics in greater detail, while others want less time and bigger breadth. We remain flexible and open to talk to organisations about topics they feel are important.

NCS Charter

An SG official provided an update on the NCS Charter of Rights and Responsibilities, and informed members that there will be more opportunities to co-design the Charter in 2025.

Members raised the following points:

• Will the changes to guardians and powers of attorney from the Mental Health Law Review be put in? SG: Yes, there is provision for the Charter to respond to changes to legislation and policy.
• Could we see the easy read version? SG: Yes, we can email it to group members who wish to see it.
• The current draft is very lengthy and wordy, it is difficult to find things quickly within it.
• Would like to see improvements to layout and structure so people can navigate it more easily.
• On the mutual respect section: there is expectation that service users will treat staff with kindness and patience but this is not reciprocated. SG: This is included in the section on the rights of people using services.
• The use of independent support doesn’t seem to appear here. SG: There are still improvements to be made to this draft format. We will work with the Self-Directed Support team on this.
• On the equality, dignity and respect section: people may need support to identify their needs. Could possibly clarify by saying ‘tell us what you need or ask us for support in identifying your needs’. SG: This is helpful feedback. We can speak to the group again before the Charter is finalised.
• The draft is so positive, to show people what their rights are. Great to include that the Charter should be used to positively influence societal views of supported people.
• Would like to see more information on how to make social care assessments less intimidating for people. SG: We will review the language used around that.
• Sceptical about the impact the Charter will have on future social care practice. SG: The first step to improving rights is ensuring everyone is aware of what they are. The Charter does not introduce new rights, it is a summary of existing rights.

A member asked the Chair why local councils had paused involvement. The Chair explained COSLA had asked at the beginning of the summer to pause in order to refocus resources on the delayed discharge mission before winter.

Any other business

There was no other business. The Chair thanked everyone and closed the meeting.