The Health Secretary says she ‘does not foresee’ the public sector taking on all social care in Scotland, days ahead of when an independent review of adult social care is due to report.

Jeane Freeman has provided some of the first details of her vision for social care in Scotland since she commissioned a review that was to create the ‘foundations of a national care service’.

Speaking today, Ms Freeman said a national care service would give social care ‘national attention’ but crucially would not be ‘run by the state’.

The remarks will be a disappointment to campaigners, politicians and unions who have said social care – which is mostly provided by independent or private organisations – should be remodelled along the lines of the NHS.

Current Scottish government Drugs Minister Angela Constance has previously criticised “profiteering” by private care companies, while Scottish Labour last week called for any national care service to eliminate for-profit care.

Concerns had been raised when it emerged the Scottish government had asked for a valuation of the entire adult care home estate in Scotland at the height of the first wave of the pandemic.

Speaking at Scottish Care’s online Care Home Gathering, former Scottish Care CEO Ranald Mair raised concerns that the government intended to eliminate the “rich mix” of social care providers, many of whom are small family-run businesses.

Ms Freeman said: “My view is that the mix of providers has real value – the vast majority are small, one or two homes run by a single provider. I have had family members in are homes like that and I know how close they get to the homely setting that we all talk about but it really does matter – these are people’s homes.

“We need to distinguish between a national care service and a nationalised care service. They are different. A national care service is actually saying we are going to elevate the status of this and give it national attention, recognising that the provision is a mix of different kinds of providers, some public sector and some not.

“A nationalised care service is one run by the state – I do not foresee that. There is a huge price tag as well with that by the way, but I am not convinced that is the place to put the money, when actually you can work happily with different kinds of providers as long as you set really clear expectations about standards and payments and quality.

“I don’t see anyone in the sector who would rail against any of that.”

The review panel is due to report by the end of this month.

Ms Freeman emphasised that any change would depend on the outcome of the Holyrood elections, scheduled to take place in May.

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