RCN Scotland wrote to the Minister for Mental Wellbeing and Social Care last week calling for the legislation to be paused and this week reiterated that call in letters to the three SNP leadership candidates. Commenting, Colin Poolman, RCN Scotland Director, said: “If true, the decision to delay the Bill is very welcome. The RCN has serious concerns about the Bill which lacks basic details around how the NCS will operate, how it will work alongside the NHS or even a clear definition of what functions the NCS will be responsible for.
“However, simply pausing until June is not sufficient. Ministers must take time to engage with stakeholders and develop detailed plans before taking forward legislation.
“Rather than simply pushing through expensive and disruptive structural overhaul without a clear understanding of how to fix the current problems facing the sector, Ministers need to focus now on tackling the workforce crisis in social care and community health. Services must have the right numbers of staff, with the right skills, in the right place and that needs to start with increased investment and improving pay, terms and conditions in the sector.”
