The Scottish Government is putting a Bill through Parliament to set up a National Care Service (NCS), the bill leaves profiteering at the heart of care, and will outsource a huge range of functions; all of social work and social care out of councils, and an unknown number of responsibilities out of the NHS. This threatens the employment and pensions of tens of thousands of workers, and meaning a huge sum of money will be spent on structural change rather then on improving services.
This page will be a hub for UNISON Scotland’s information and resources about UNISON Scotland’s campaign to have the current Bill withdrawn and for the Scottish Government to start again and come up with plans for aa real national Care Service.
We are asking all UNISON members to contact their MSPs, many of whom are still unaware of what the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill contains.
- You can email your MSPs using this one click link here.
- UNISON Scotland has prepared a short guide to the Bill, its main provisions, and the implications of a measure that is an unequivocal attack on the idea of publicly delivered public services. You can view the guide here.

Briefing 131 – Consultation on Safe Staffing Statutory Guidance: Care Services

Winter preparedness – response to Health, Social Care & Sport Committee

UNISON comment on the Scottish Government National Care Service partnership announcement

Survey Report on Social Work Paraprofessionals

National Care Service – the one we need and the one on offer

UK’s largest union calls for scrapping of National Care Service Bill

UNISON National Delegate Conference 2023: Conference demands National Care Service Bill be scrapped

Briefing 125 – Occupational Therapists and a National Social Work Agency

Briefing 124 – A National Social Work Agency
