Health and Social Care

What we learned from the National Care Service Forum 2022

December 14, 2022 by healthsocialcare No Comments | Category National Care Service

On the 3 October this year we held our first ever National Care Service Forum. It brought together the people across community health and social care in Scotland. These voices are incredibly important to ensure in shaping the National Care Service.  

The Forum Report  

We have committed The Forum being annual event throughout the development phase of the National Care Service develops. The repost analyses the feedback from this year’s event and provides a summary of key themes raised. The Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care, Kevin Stewart, shares his reflections on how this year’s event went below: 

Kevin Stewart, Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care  

“From the day I took up my role as Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care I have been clear that the loudest voice on the future of social care support should come from those with lived and living experience. That’s why I was so delighted to host the first National Care Service (NCS) Forum. On the stage, around tables, and in passing conversations we heard from so many people with lived and living experience.  

My experience at the NCS Forum reinforced my commitment to ensuring that we continue to listen to and amplify those voices throughout the design stages of building our new NCS.  

Scotland’s community health and social care system has seen significant change over the past 20 years. Despite this, people with experience of accessing and delivering care support were again clear at the Forum that there remains some significant issues.  

Through the National Care Service, we need to grasp the opportunity to drive up standards to a consistent level for people across the country. I know that, across Scotland, there is truly excellent work taking place in the social care and social work sectors – I see it every day. I want to ensure that this good practice is seen absolutely everywhere. And with that comes the chances for us to improve the conditions for those who work across the sector, making sure they are recognised and rewarded for the valuable work they do. Without them, none of this would be possible. 

I will continue to listen to the voices of people who access and deliver social care support as we progress this work. Together we must build a system that is sustainable, future-proofed and ready to respond to the needs of our changing population. This year’s Forum has demonstrated a real appetite for an event which focuses on collective reflection.” 

You can read the report on the National Care Service Forum 2022 on gov.scot as well as the Easy Read version.  

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