The National Care Service: the bill and how service design will progress
Yesterday’s meeting of the Scottish Government Personal Assistant Programme Board, provided further insight into the progression of the National Care Service Bill, due to introduced to Parliament later this month. It’s the first step in legislating a change of model and highlighted were its stages and timeline and the opportunities that people will have to contribute to its design in the coming years.
What was of particular interest was the opportunity to contribute to this process.
Co-chair Ian Turner, Scottish Government, outlined the iterative process that would commence thereafter over the course of a year, prior to progression to legislation and royal assent. What was of particular interest was the opportunity to contribute to this process. Stage 1 lasts about 6 months and involves the lead Parliamentary Committees taking evidence on the Bill, in writing and in person, and producing a report. At the end of Stage 1 the full Parliament will vote on whether to take the Bill forward. There are a subsequent two stages, involving agreement of amendments by lead committee then by the whole Parliament. Critically, there is potential to give evidence to the parliamentary committee clerks who take the Bill through various committees to provide comment.
It’s important that anyone putting themselves forward realises that the clerks themselves choose who will give evidence, but of course you must make yourself known to them.
It seems vital to this process that those giving evidence support what they see as positive in the bill, as well as what should be removed or amended, to maintain the momentum there has been in moving towards the paradigm shift that was proposed by Derek Feeley, which enables the inception of a National Care Service. Self Directed Support Scotland will ensure opportunities to engage with the committee when it is formed are shared with our membership.
