Scotland’s social care system is at a turning point. Demand is rising, needs are becoming more complex and the sector is being asked to do more. Supporting people to live independently. Preventing avoidable hospital admissions. Sustaining communities. All while operating under intense financial pressure. Recent warnings from providers and commentators underline how quickly financial strain translates into service instability, delayed discharge pressures and reduced capacity on the ground.
At the same time the funding debate is no longer only about more money. It is also about how resources flow. The balance between local government and NHS spend. How Health and Social Care Partnerships manage deficit risk. What fair commissioning looks like in practice. Whether multi-year settlements can replace short-term firefighting. Scotland’s ministers and national bodies have been clear that social care reform and sustainability must sit at the heart of the health and social care portfolio. The choices being made now will shape the next decade of social care.
Quality needs to remain non-negotiable. In a stressed system, inspection, improvement support, professional regulation and a rights-based approach are essential. They protect people who draw on care and support – and they sustain public confidence. How can Scotland ensure consistent standards, meaningful outcomes and safe, person-centred practice – particularly while services face workforce gaps, fluctuating capacity and increasing acuity?
Finally, there is the core question of quantity. Do we have enough care – staff, providers, community alternatives, support for unpaid carers – to meet demand? This conference examines whether Scotland is heading for deeper crisis or whether the conditions for renewed confidence can be created through practical decisions on funding, quality and capacity.
The conference will focus on four themes:
Topics to be discussed
Who should attend
This conference is relevant for anyone involved in the planning, organisation or delivery of care services in Scotland. This includes policy makers, care providers, care staff, care giver and care receiver representative groups, regulators, those managing or working in the fields of adult, child, justice, substance misuse and mental health services and health, care and third sector bodies responsible for the provision or commissioning of care services.
Examples of the types of individuals and organisations who should attend include Directors of Business, Operations and Service Delivery, Care, Service and Transformation Programme Managers, Policy and Campaigns Officers, Headteachers, Adult Carer and Quality and Compliance Leads. These come from across local government, further and higher education, schools, community councils, the third and private sectors.
09:00 Chair's opening remarks
Session 1: Addressing social care crisis
09:05 Keynote speaker – the context on funding, workforce and rising demand
09:20 Political panel
09:50 Question and answer session
10:05 Comfort break
Session 2: Stabilising social care finance
10:20 Paying for care sustainably – integration finance and commissioning reform
10:35 Workforce economics – fair work and the real cost of capacity
10:50 Question and answer session
11:00 Comfort break
Session 3: Care quality – moving from compliance to improvement
11:10 Quality under pressure – regulation, assurance and improvement
11:25 Rights, lived experience and outcomes – what good practice should look like
11:40 Question and answer session
11:50 Comfort break
Session 4: Achieving capacity that meets demand
12:05 Workforce pipeline and capacity – skills, registration and career pathways
12:20 Enough care in the system? Provider capacity, carers and community alternatives
12:35 Question and answer session
12:45 Chair's closing remarks
This conference takes place online.
How to book
You can book to attend in 3 ways:
Conference fees
Please note
It is not permissible to share the recording. Please contact us if you wish to share it. See our terms and conditions for further information.
Any individual who may have attended the event but, for whatever reason, is unable to do so on the day can request a full recording of the event. The delegate fee above will apply.
Payment
We do not currently accept payments online and will send you an invoice.
You have the option to pay by bank transfer or card.
Bank details will be included on the invoice.
If you wish to pay by card, please tick the appropriate box on the booking form and a member of our staff will contact you by telephone to take the payment. Alternatively you may call 0131 556 1500.
Terms and conditions
By placing this booking, you agree to the full terms and conditions found via the link at the foot of our website.
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