Scotland Policy Conferences

For booking-related queries or information on speaking please email us at info@forumsupport.co.uk, or contact us: +44 (0)1344 864796.

Social Care in Scotland - next steps for the National Care Service

Morning, Monday, 11th December 2023


This conference focuses on priorities and next steps for social care in Scotland.


It will bring stakeholders together with policymakers to discuss the way forward for plans to develop a National Care Service (NCS), as stage one scrutiny of the NCS Bill is extended to January 2024.


Sessions will assess issues being raised relating to the NCS Bill, including concern over financial viability and design of the Bill itself, and calls for scrutiny and transparency within any future centralised service.


Areas for discussion include value for money and costs, minimising disruption to current service provision, key workforce issues including around recruitment and retention, and the role of local authorities in any future NCS.


The conference will also be an opportunity to examine the Independent Review of Inspection, Scrutiny and Regulation (IRISR) commissioned by The Scottish Government following its report, as well as the Verity House Agreement for shared legal responsibility between government, the future NCS and local councils.


We are pleased to be able to include keynote sessions with: Rachel Cackett, Chief Executive Officer, Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland; and Robert Kilgour, Executive Chairman, Renaissance.


Sessions in the agenda include:

  • the current landscape: assessing social care in Scotland and the outlook for a National Care Service
  • NCS issues: costs and funding - collaborative frameworks - minimising disruption to service provision - listening to the voices of lived experience - standardising care between rural and urban areas
  • quality: delivery - person-centred care - improving user experience - workforce recruitment and development - role of the voluntary and independent sectors
  • costs: achieving value for money in a new social care service - evaluating costs and further funding options, including the role of the third sector
  • inspection: priorities for transparency and fairness in social care
  • policy: the way forward for social care strategy in Scotland

The conference will be an opportunity for stakeholders to consider the issues alongside key policy officials who are due to attend from Department of Health, ROI; DHSC; Education Scotland; HSE; UKSA; and The Scottish Government.



Keynote Speaker

Robert Kilgour

Executive Chairman, Renaissance

Keynote Speakers

Rachel Cackett

Chief Executive Officer, Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland

Robert Kilgour

Executive Chairman, Renaissance

Chair

Jackie Baillie MSP

Deputy Leader and Health and Social Care Spokesperson, Scottish Labour

Speakers

Councillor Paul Kelly

Spokesperson for Health and Social Care, COSLA

Austen Smyth

Chief Executive, Richmond Fellowship Scotland

Cara Stevenson

Union Organiser, GMB Scotland

Richard Meade

Director, Carers Scotland

Professor Anne Hendry

Director, International Centre for Integrated Care, University of the West of Scotland; and Senior Associate, International Foundation for Integrated Care

Karen Hedge

Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Scottish Care

Alison Bavidge

National Director, Scottish Association of Social Workers