'In denial' SNP minister's plan to save faltering £2bn National Care Service

​Scotland's health secretary is seeking discussions with council leaders after they pulled their support for flagship plans to set up a National Care Service.

Neil Gray insisted there was a need to "complete the job", despite the local government body Cosla announcing last week that it could no longer back a Scottish Government Bill to set up such a service.

Ministers had put forward the plans in the wake of the Covid pandemic, with the move seen as being key to reform in the social care system.

Health Secretary Neil Gray. Picture: PA

That came after a review of care services, led by former NHS Scotland chief executive Derek Feeley, had recommended establishing a National Care Service.

But trade unions and councils have now withdrawn their support for Scottish Government legislation that would create this.

Mr Gray, however, insisted it was "slightly pre-emptive" for council leaders to have withdrawn support, saying the Government had delayed changes to its legislation over the summer as work was done with councils to try to reduce delayed discharges.

The health secretary said he was still "open to discussion" with councils' leaders on the subject, as he stressed the need to "find a way forward".

Speaking on The Sunday Show on BBC Scotland, Mr Gray said: "I want to get round the table and see progress on the National Care Service. I want to see it brought into being as quickly as possible, because I understand the need that is out there ... the need for this reform.

"That is why I want to get back round the table with local government and find a way forward."

Cosla had previously warned the proposals from the government would have the "cumulative effect of eroding local decision-making and the role of local government within social services".

However, Mr Gray insisted the change was "not about centralisation", but was "about making sure we are bringing consistent standards across the country" in social care.

He stressed the "National Care Service is about bringing up standards consistently across Scotland " both for those who need care, and for those who work in the sector.

Mr Gray said he understood there were "strongly held views" among local authority leaders, adding: "That is why I think it is important we have a discussion over the areas there are concerns about."

But he stated: "If we are to honour what came through from the Feeley review, we need to make sure we get back round the table and understand that we need to put service users first and foremost at the heart of our thinking, and also those who work within social care."

Mr Gray continued: "I am still open to discussion because I believe we both need to see the reform coming through, that is why I will keep the discussions open with Cosla."

The health secretary insisted: "There is still space for negotiation. I am open to continue discussions with Cosla, with local authorities, on how we honour what Feeley recommended, which was to see a wholesale reform of social care so that it is brought into parity with health and we see better integration.

"We've been on that journey, but we need to complete the job."

Scottish Conservative health spokesman Dr Sandesh Gulhane accused Mr Gray of being "in denial about the SNP's botched attempts to create a national care service".

Adding the Government's plans were "dead in the water", the Tory MSP said the National Care Service had "united most of civic Scotland against it and has been roundly rejected by councils and trade unions, who are rightly worried about another nationalist power grab".

Dr Gulhane said: "It's just common sense that social care is best delivered by local providers, who know what works in their area and how much money they need to deliver.

"The costs are eye-watering and Neil Gray refused to deny that the cost of setting up a centralised care system had spiralled to £2 billion – and not a penny going to the front line.

"It's time he finally pulled the plug on this unaffordable scheme and diverted every spare penny to local care providers."

Labour health spokeswoman Jackie Baillie said: "More and more stakeholders are sounding the alarm about the flaws in these misguided plans, but this arrogant SNP government is still refusing to listen.

"Social care in Scotland is at crisis point, but the SNP is wasting time, energy and money trying to save their botched plans."

She demanded: "The SNP must go back to the drawing board and set out real plans to improve our social care system."

Unions withdrew their support for the National Care Service earlier this month, with GMB Scotland senior organiser Keir Greenaway saying the scheme would only add to the sector’s bureaucracy.

Cosla health and social care spokesperson Paul Kelly said on Friday: “Local government cannot support the amended National Care Service Bill brought forward by Scottish Government.”

Under the original proposal, the cost of the National Care Service had been estimated at between £644 million and £1.26bn over five years, with the aim of introducing it by the end of the 2026 parliamentary term.

However, former health secretary Michael Matheson announced in December last year the service would not be rolled out until the 2028/29 period, as the Government battled to stop costs rising above £2bn.