The Scottish Government’s proposals for a National Care Service put at risk the vital links that exist across the essential services that many of our most vulnerable people rely on every day, COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson said today (Friday).

Councillor Currie said:  “Many of the people who access the services included in the Scottish Government’s NCS proposals also rely on other services delivered by Local Government, including housing, education, welfare advice and employment support.  These essential services cannot be seen in isolation, they work best when they are connected.  It is vital that the links between them are preserved if we are to provide the most effective support for people who rely on these essential services the length and breadth of Scotland each and every day.

Councillor Currie continued:  “COSLA is clear that change is needed and that the service user must come first.

“Reforming how we deliver our health and social care services offers an opportunity to change our focus and position health and social care as part of a wider approach to improving public health and community wellbeing.

“By embracing this approach, and by providing the necessary investment to tackle the long standing and chronic underfunding that exists in social care, we can take meaningful strides in addressing the challenges that continue to confront our health and social care system every year.

“This is an opportunity that we have to take and it is disappointing that the proposals set out by the Scottish Government do the opposite and will only serve to impact on the ability to deliver a joined-up approach across all of the Local Government services that impact on a person’s health and wellbeing.”