Scottish Greens withdraw support for Scottish Government's National Care Service Bill

The Scottish Greens have withdrawn their support for the Scottish Government’s National Care Service Bill.

Members overwhelmingly voted for a motion against the plans at the party’s conference in Greenock.

The decision means the minority SNP administration – which relies on opposition MSPs to pass legislation – will likely fail to pass the Bill.

Sunday’s motion, proposed by Glasgow Green councillor Anthony Carroll and the party’s health spokesperson MSP Gillian Mackay, called for the Bill to be radically reduced in scope to focus on increasing support and rights to those providing care.

Ms Mackay said: “The National Care Service Bill is not fit for purpose and has lost the support of trade unions and other key stakeholders.

“There are some positives within the Bill that I hope MSPs from all parties would want to see enacted.

“For example, giving people living in care homes the right to see and spend time with loved ones, greater support for carers to take personalised respite breaks, and greater access to advocacy and information.

“The government must radically rethink and reduce the scope of this Bill.

“That means focusing on increasing support and rights to those providing care, including unpaid carers.

“Without that fundamental change and shift in focus we cannot support it.”

The plans have already lost the support of trade unions and local authority umbrella group Cosla.

Labour, the Tories and the Liberal Democrats have also said they would not back the Bill.

The legislation aims to centralise adult social care and social work – delivered by local authorities – into a single body ultimately accountable to ministers.

The shake-up was first announced in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic but since then the proposed National Care Service has suffered delays and uncertainty over costs.

Scotland’s Finance Secretary admitted on The Sunday Show she would need to compromise with opposition parties to pass the National Care Service Bill.

Shona Robison said she still wanted to go ahead with the plans while finding common ground among MSPs.

“We’ll continue to discuss with the other parties and stakeholders where there is potential room for compromise,” she told the BBC programme just before it was announced that the Greens’ motion had passed.

“I think there are some really important principles in the National Care Service, that point about national standards, about quality.

“It’s hard to see how anyone could disagree about wanting to have national standards so that people in one part of Scotland receive the same quality of service as another.

“I don’t see why anyone would disagree with that but I really hope that on the principles, and those voices in support of the National Care Service, will be listened to a little more.”

“Clearly there will have to be compromise,” she added.