voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
voluntary organisations, social enterprises and volunteering
Self-Directed Support Act Report
Created: 17/09/2024A report published by the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee has found that implementation of the Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 has been hampered by a range of factors.
The legislation was introduced to ensure that care and support is arranged, managed, and delivered in a way that supports choice and control for individuals. Although the Committee has heard that Self-Directed Support (SDS) has been implemented well and is transformational for individuals in some areas, the report highlights a number of challenges that have meant the legislation is not always implemented in a fair and equitable way across the country.
The Committee say that restrictions on available providers, how services are commissioned and procured, and the financial systems and models of care currently in place mean that, in many parts of the country, SDS has not been delivered in the way intended by the legislation.
While the Committee heard examples of good practice from certain local authority areas, which are offering those in receipt of care more choice using a range of different collaborative initiatives, they say there have been challenges in applying this good practice across the country.
The Committee also concludes that there is an urgent need to establish a process of national oversight and clear lines of accountability across all levels of decision-making to ensure a significantly improved approach to monitoring and evaluation of SDS.