There is much in the Feeley Report on Adult Social Care that Local Government and Scotland’s Council Leaders have been calling for COSLA said today (Thursday).

Leaders have long advocated that that the lived experience of those who rely on social care should be embedded within the system and that social care should move to a more person centred approach, recognising the value of not for profit provision, and carried out by a workforce that is valued.

However Leaders unanimously expressed their grave concern at the recommendations around the future governance and accountability arrangements contained within the Report.

Whilst they agreed with a lot of the content within the Feeley Report, Council Leaders together voiced their opposition to the recommendation which proposes the removal of local democratic accountability from Adult Social Care and the centralising of the service under a National Care Service with accountability falling to Ministers, a move that they described as being detrimental to the local delivery of social care and its integration with other key community services.  They also felt that given the level of funding set out in the Review, Local Government would be well placed to continue to deliver this vital service.

Speaking following a special meeting of Council Leaders Councillor Stuart Currie COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson said:  “Council Leaders noted the publication of the Independent Review of Adult Social Care and endorsed many of the principles set out in the report particularly in relation to  empowering people, valuing the workforce and embedding a human rights approach to social care.

“Leaders were also clear that the lived experience of those who rely on social care should be embedded within the system and that social care should move to a more person-centred approach.

“However, there was real and unanimous opposition to the recommendations on governance and accountability which would see the removal of local democratic accountability and a degree of centralisation, which Leaders rightly felt would be detrimental to the local delivery of social care and its integration with other key community services.

“They also felt that given the level of funding set out in the Review, Local Government would be well placed to deliver the human-rights based approach outlined at pace, whilst ensuring local democratic accountability remains front and centre of social care.”

A further detailed report on the proposals will be considered by Council Leaders at the end of February.