Parliamentary Debate Briefings
Age Scotland produce briefings for Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) whenever issues of importance to older people are being raised in the Parliament. These briefings aim to provide MSPs with up to date statistics and data as well as analysis of the issue and recommendations for action. Alongside much of our other work, they help to promote positive change for older people in legislation and Scottish Government policy. You can read our most recent briefings below.
Free Personal Care
Age Scotland issues this briefing in advance of the Scottish Liberal Democrats' Parliamentary Debate on Free Personal Care for Older People which took place on Thursday 24/6/2010, click here to download. The motion for that debate was supported unanimously by the Parliament and was as follows:
"That the Parliament believes that free personal and nursing care for the elderly has widespread support and continues to deliver real benefits for tens of thousands of Scotland's most vulnerable older people, allowing them the dignity and independence of growing old in the comfort of their homes; recognises that budget constraints and demographic change present challenges for Scotland's social care and health services, but, in order to protect the elderly, reaffirms its commitment to free personal and nursing care for the long term, so that Scotland's elderly population can continue to receive the care to which it is entitled; welcomes the wide-ranging Reshaping Care for Older People programme, which is developing innovative and practical ideas for change to meet the needs of Scotland's population that are sustainable, deliverable and fair; urges the Scottish Government to continue to identify savings in administrative costs that can be reinvested in frontline services, and, in this context, calls on the Scottish Government to give serious consideration to the proposal from Lord Sutherland to merge health and social care budgets.
Pensioner Debt
This briefing was sent to MSPs ahead of a Members debate in the Scottish Parliament on 12 November 2009. The debate looked at the findings of a recent report by Citizens Advice Scotland that revealed an alarming increase in the number of older people seeking help to cope with their debts. To find out more read our Pensioner Debt Debate Briefing. The Scottish Parliament's Official Report on the debate can be found on their website.
Reshaping the care of older people
This briefing was sent to MSPs ahead of a Scottish Government debate in the Scottish Parliament on 28th October 2009. The debate focused on the Scottish Government work currently underway to reshape the way that care will be provided to older people at home, in hospital and in care homes. The demographic changes facing Scottish society mean that the current provision of social and health care may prove unsustainable and the Reshaping the Care of Older People programme is investigating ways to provide better care for older people without relying on the more rigid, formal forms of care available today. To learn more read our Reshaping the Care of Older People Debate Briefing. The Scottish Parliament's Official Report on the debate can be found on their website.