Minister and COSLA welcome SDS Improvement Plan
The Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, Maree Todd, and COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson, Councillor Paul Kelly, have released video messages to welcome the publication of the Self-directed Support Improvement Plan 2023 – 2027.
In the videos, they explain what the SDS Improvement Plan is, where it has come from and what it hopes to achieve.
Speaking in the video, Ms Todd says:
The publication of the SDS Improvement Plan comes at a really important time for social care in Scotland. Significant change is coming in the shape of the National Care Service, which is a huge opportunity to ensure that the principles of SDS can be put into practice at a national scale, giving us the best chance for ensuring that how you experience social care doesn’t depend on where you live.
My hope is that the SDS Improvement Plan will help to close the gap between the promise of the SDS Act and the current reality of supported people right across Scotland. This can only be done in partnership with COSLA, The National SDS Collaboration, local authorities, Health and Social Care Partnerships, the third sector and everyone who has a stake in effective SDS.
She goes on to explain the four main areas of focus in the plan, how it is funded and how it will be monitored over the next few years.
COSLA Health and Social Care Spokesperson Councillor Paul Kelly used his video message to thank all those who had contributed to the plan, particularly supported people and carers.
He says:
This is a really, really important Plan and the next stage is about making sure we implement the Plan and continue to work with all our partners in doing so. We want to make sure the principles and values of SDS are continued to be seen in the actions and the Plan itself, so thank you to everybody who’s contributed to this really, really important Plan and we look forward to working with you as we take it forward.
The SDS Improvement Plan was published last month following extensive work by Scottish Government, COSLA and the National SDS Collaboration.
The Plan sets out priorities for work that will take place right across the sector – from Government and local councils to third sector organisations, independent support organisations and others, to improve the implementation of Self-directed Support.