A MOTION which calls for a National Care Service to be on "an equal footing" with NHS Scotland has been approved by MSPs.
The Scottish Government motion was approved by 68 votes to 57 in Holyrood today
It looks to improve accountability and also lead to improved outcomes for care users.
Earlier this month, a review recommended a new service which would oversee the delivery of social care, aim to improve standards, ensure enhanced pay and conditions for workers.
MSPs debated the review in the Scottish Parliament earlier today.
Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “What the report centrally says is we need to accord adult social care the same value in everything we do – in its delivery and how we treat its workforce – as we do our NHS.
“The review’s report has been widely welcomed.”
READ MORE: Review calls for Scottish national care service on equal footing with NHS
Freeman also announced a £20 million fund to help people with complex needs enjoy a better quality of life.
She added: “I want to work towards parity with the National Health Service, where healthcare and social care are both free at the point of delivery.
“So we will work with local partners as quickly as practical to end all charges for non-residential care.”
A minimum set of standards the social care workforce can expect will be agreed by the end of May, she said.
Scottish Labour’s Monica Lennon said her party had long campaigned for a national care service.
She said: “Sadly, this was rejected by Nicola Sturgeon when she was the Health Secretary.”
Lennon called on a minimum £15 an hour pay package to be agreed for social care staff.
She added: “As it stands, too much money has leaked out of care to offshore to tax havens.
“Care should always be about people, not about profits.
“The report criticises the market-based system but then largely recommends leaving the market-based system in place with a bit more regulation.”
READ MORE: Common Weal sets out plans for new Scottish care service to run alongside NHS
Liberal Democrat MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton said his party had “significant concern” the national care service would lead to too much centralisation.
He said: “We need only look at the problems that came with the amalgamation of Police Scotland and Scotland’s regional police forces to see the difficulties that can arise from a ‘central belt knows best’ approach.”
Speaking for the Scottish Greens, John Finnie said his party supported calls for a national care service.
Finnie said: “I hope that through time we would see the warmth and affection from a national care service that we have seen delivered by the NHS.”
A Conservative amendment, which said a National Care Service “could assist in achieving higher quality care” but that the Scottish Government needed to “provide details of how this will work in practice”, was defeated by 28 votes to 95 with one abstention.
A Labour amendment which demanded the Scottish Government “demonstrate its commitment to support the social care workforce” by ensuring the Budget enables staff to receive a pay rate of at least £15 an hour was also rejected, with MSPs voting by 30 to 95 against this.
And a Liberal Democrat amendment urging a “new human rights approach to social care to be provided through integrated local services” was voted down by eight to 117.
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