Research Calls for Doubling of Investment in Adult Social Care in Scotland
Scottish Women’s Budget Group Research calls for transformational change
The briefing paper sets out two scenarios for greater investment in Scotland’s adult social care support services. These scenarios are based on data of current adult social care usage and projections of how this would need to be expanded to meet wider care needs and to reach a greater number of people. The scenarios also model the costs of increased rates of pay for social care staff, as well as the costs of the larger workforce which would be needed to meet the expanded care needs.
Specific actions are identified in relation to:
- Better pay for care workers and better working conditions
- Better training over time to reach levels of qualification on a par with Nordic countries
- Better coverage of free care, by including household and domestic tasks such as cleaning and shopping
- Reducing the de facto rationing of care to the most substantial and critical needs and improving access to care for those with more moderate care needs
- Improving take-up rates of free social care support to enable informal care to become complementary
In conclusion, the report states:
‘Scotland stands at a pivotal point for change in social care support services. The National Care Service is set to overhaul how care services are run across Scotland, although much of the detail of which will be discussed and developed over the coming years. Above all else, investment is needed to ensure these services can reach more people, pay staff well and reduce unpaid care needs, thereby properly valuing the role care plays in our society.’ (p.11)
The report calls on the Scottish Government to: ‘ double investment in adult social care support to drive transformative change and create up to 75,000 new jobs‘
You can download a copy of the report here:
TOWARDS A TRANSFORMATIVE UNIVERSAL ADULT SOCIAL CARE SUPPORT SERVICE FOR SCOTLAND
You can read the SWBG blog on the report here: https://www.swbg.org.uk/news/blog/scottish-government-must-double-investment-in-adult-social-care-to-drive-transformative-ch/?mc_cid=cfa7d5a043&mc_eid=a9adc81106
