We are using our experience and expertise to influence good change for people accessing social care.
The National Care Service.
If passed, the National Care Service will mark a significant shift in the way people are supported across Scotland.
The Scottish Government believes that social care should be more person-centred, accessible, and fairer for people who require it and for the workers who deliver it. Carr Gomm agrees with this.
In fact, we believe Carr Gomm is already achieving this. But social care needs better resources so that everyone who needs it can experience person-centred support, which enables them to live their best possible life.
Carr Gomm wants the National Care Service to:
- Recognise the positive impact of our excellent person-centred supports.
- Support equal recognition and reward for all workers.
- Explore better commissioning approaches and ensure self-directed support works for everyone.
Deputy Chief Executive, Andrew Thomson’s summarised how the National Care Service came about and why it is important in his blog.
Read Andrew’s blog on the National Care Service on our website.
Here’s what we are doing to ensure that the voices of Carr Gomm and the people we support are heard where the decisions are being made.
- The Involvement Group, a group made up of people Carr Gomm supports, contributed their views to the National Care Service consultation. They have also been taking part in the regional co-design sessions as well as organising meetings with civil servants and MSPs.
- Carr Gomm invited MSPs to our services to talk about our person-centred support in the area they represent. It was an opportunity for them to hear about the excellent support we provide and to hear from people we support about what living their best possible life means for them. It was also an opportunity for us to discuss issues around pay, commissioning, hospital discharges and the value of social care in Scotland.
- We are getting involved in the Coalition of Care Providers Scotland (CCPS) #4StepstoFairWorkCampaign, recognising that many of the ambitions of the National Care Service should be brought forward earlier.
Read Deputy Chief Executive, Andrew’s blog on the #4StepstoFairWork
Over the summer of 2023, we invited several MSPs to our services so they could speak to staff about Carr Gomm’s dreams for social care and how that could be realised in a National Care Service.
- The First Minister visits our Glasgow office.
- Michael Matheson MSP visits Carr Gomm’s Falkirk Service.
- Welcoming Carol Mochan MSP to our Borders
The Independent Review of Adult Social Care.
Otherwise known as the Feeley Review, the Independent Review of Adult Social Care was commissioned by the Scottish Government to recommend improvements to adult social care in Scotland – for the outcomes achieved by and with people who use services, their carers and families, and the experience of people who work in adult social care.
Read Carr Gomm’s contribution to The Independent Review of Adult Social Care.
Telling our stories
There’s nothing more powerful than a story. The people we support each have their own to share about what our values and approaches mean in their day to day lives.
- Read James’ experience of thriving in the community.
- Watch Michael talk about why he wanted to fundraise for Carr Gomm.
- Read about Andrew and Steven’s holiday adventures.
- Read Vic’s experience of being part of our LGBT Network.
Realising the ambition of Self-Directed Support (SDS)
Self-Directed support was brought in to give more control back to people over how they want their support to be delivered. While the intentions of this initiative were good, the benefits have not been realised for many people across Scotland.
In the Highlands, where choice of support providers can be limited, our Community Contacts Team have been working hard with the SDS Peer Support Group, NHS Highland, and other organisations to improve access to SDS.
Through this partnership working, from 2nd October 2023, every adult in the Highlands accessing their support via Option 1 (direct payments), will see an uplift in their hourly rate. More people now have the means to access support, choosing when and how it’s delivered.
Find out more about Community Contacts.
Related Pages
Carr Gomm’s Influencing Change Blog
First Minister visits our Glasgow Office
First Minister Humza Yousaf visited our Glasgow office to discuss our support in the city and across Scotland. Last Friday, we were delighted to welcome Humza Yousaf to meet with our Chief Executive, Lucy Wren, Senior Operations Manager,...
Our statement on the Programme for Government
We welcome the First Minister’s commitment in the Programme For Government to raise the adult social care wage to £12 per hour in April 2024. However, we are disappointed and angry as this announcement has not gone far enough. Staff in Carr Gomm...
Jeremy Balfour MSP meets our Edinburgh & Lothians services
This week Jeremy Balfour MSP came to our Midlothian Visiting Service and caught up with Chief Executive Lucy Wren and Service Managers Nikki and Sam. Jeremy heard about the ways our Midlothian and Edinburgh Visiting Services support people in his...
Gillian MacKay, MSP visits Carr Gomm’s Falkirk Service
Last week, Carr Gomm's Falkirk Service was delighted to welcome Gillian MacKay, MSP, to their office. Gillian met with Carr Gomm staff, including CEO Lucy Wren, Operations Manager Mavis Kelly and Senior Operations Manager Paul Marshall, to discuss...
Welcoming Carol Mochan MSP to our Borders Service
We were delighted to welcome Carol Mochan MSP to visit our staff in the Borders on the 21st August. Carol came along to hear about the impact Carr Gomm has had in supporting people to live their best possible life in the Borders and across...
Michael Matheson MSP visits Carr Gomm’s Falkirk Service.
Carr Gomm’s Falkirk Service receives a visit from Michael Matheson, MSP. Michael Matheson MSP, Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care, took the chance to visit Carr Gomm to speak to those receiving support and to discuss the...
Supporting the 4 Steps to Fair Work Campaign
As a member of CCPS, we fully back this campaign calling for the Scottish Government to step up and commit to Fair Work for social care staff in Scotland. On 29th June, the Coalition of Care Providers Scotland launched their 4 Steps to Fair Work...
Influencing the National Care Service
Deputy Chief Executive, Andrew Thomson, gives a breakdown of how the National Care Service came about, what it’s trying to achieve and how Carr Gomm is getting involved to ensure that the voices and aspirations of the people we support are at heart...