Revised plans for the National Care Service are being discussed.
Organisations across Scotland have warned revised plans for social care reforms “fall short” of addressing the critical issues facing unpaid carers.
The National Care Service Bill - heavily-amended from the initial plans for a service akin to the NHS for social care - has been scrapped but the proposed Care Reform (Scotland) Bill retains some social care reforms.
Carers Scotland and the Coalition of Carers in Scotland welcomed plans to retain a right to breaks for unpaid carers in the plans.
Scottish ministers have also committed an additional £5million in funding to support carers to take short breaks from caring responsibilities in its 2025-26 budget.
CCPS’ partnership development officer, Shubhanna Hussain, told healthandcare.scot: “We remain deeply concerned that the recent changes to the Bill fall short of addressing the critical issues of under-resourcing in social care and the glaring lack of accountability and transparency highlighted by the Feeley Review.
“When the Bill was first consulted on in 2021, our members overwhelmingly backed the proposal for the Scottish government to take responsibility for social care in Scotland. This was never about centralising social care or a power grab from councils and IJBs.
“Carers shared with us their frustrations that councils were failing to uphold and protect their rights and those of the people they care for. They wanted councils and health and social care partnerships to be held accountable for failing to implement existing legislation, such as the Carers Scotland Act and the SDS legislation.
“Unfortunately, this Bill has been derailed by those unwilling to relinquish power and control, leaving people who rely on social care support to bear the brunt of these decisions.”
Scrutiny of the Care Reform (Scotland) Bill is ongoing now, with the process to continue until March 28.
Fiona Collie, head of public affairs for Carers Scotland, underlined the health and wellbeing benefits of breaks for carers.
She called for parties to now “come together to deliver those vital interventions”.
