10 June 2025
Social care reform bill’s conclusion “far from its original aspiration”
Ahead of today’s Stage 3 parliamentary debate on the Care Reform (Scotland) Bill, we’ve published a briefing outlining our views on final amendments to the legislation
Ahead of today’s Stage 3 debate in parliament on the Care Reform (Scotland) Bill, CCPS has published a briefing outlining its position on key, final amendments to the legislation.
Consideration of the legislation at this stage comes more than four years after publication of the Independent Review of Adult Social Care, led by Derek Feeley, which set out an ambitious vision for social care reform that had widespread support.
However, following the Scottish Government’s decision in January to scrap the original version of the legislation – after a controversial passage through parliament – the re-named Bill is no longer underpinned by most of Feeley’s recommendations, including formation of a National Care Service.
Our briefing focuses on the amendments introduced by MSPs related to commissioning and Fair Work, both of which remain essential to effecting improvement.
However, CCPS’s CEO Rachel Cackett said:
“As the briefing makes clear, we are immensely disappointed that what was described as the biggest public sector reform of a generation is now a much more limited Bill. A small number of important Stage 3 amendments are attempting to address key elements of a National Care Service otherwise completely lost in the renamed Bill, but this legislation falls far short of the aspirations for much needed change we all signed up to in the Feeley review.
“As a member of the new NCS Interim Advisory Board I have to hope that, with our partners, we can drive the fundamental changes to social care needed now outside of a legislative process that has taken three years. Feeley’s recommendations remain central to CCPS priorities for what comes next, as I know it does for many of our partners.”
In April CCPS, the Coalition of Carers, Glasgow Disability Alliance, the Health and Social Care Alliance, Inclusion Scotland and Scottish Care, jointly published The National Care Service – Where Now?, a new paper arguing for a return to focus on Feeley’s recommendations including increased investment and clarity of purpose.