Local Government has a central role, along with our communities and partners, in reforming how our health and social care services are delivered Councillor Stuart Currie COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson said today (Monday).

Councillor Currie said:  “As the recently published COSLA Blueprint highlights, Local Government reaches into all aspects of our lives and is central to leading and delivering improvements across the social determinants of health, including housing, education, environment, employment, social support and access to health and care services.

“The acceleration of the integration of health and social care – with local democratic oversight and community engagement strengthened is critical to achieve this vision.  This includes ensuring vulnerable populations such as migrants and BAME groups whose differential public health outcomes have been starkly highlighted by the pandemic.

“Reform of public health is a central tenet of our recovery and renewal ambitions and a strong and effective relationship between Public Health Scotland and Local Government will be vital to improving and protecting community wellbeing.”

Councillor Currie then went on to talk about the issue of fair work in relation to Social Care adding:  “COSLA and Local Government are committed to addressing the issue of fair work in social care and values the vital contribution of the social care workforce both during the pandemic and prior.

“This includes ensuring that additional public funding made available by Scottish Government is directed towards sustaining the social care sector meeting reasonable additional costs and working on transitional arrangements for this support to ensure ongoing costs will be met.

“This has also included supporting fair work through the payment of the living wage and making payments for the Scottish Government’s social care support fund to prevent social care workers from experiencing financial hardship when they are off sick or self-isolating.”