Following on from Derek Feeley’s Independent Review into Adult Social Care in Scotland, the Scottish Government launched the National Care Service Consultation.
Eat Well Age Well have been involved in this work with Food Train for over a year, arguing for the need for the importance of food to be recognised in social care. This included speaking directly to Derek Feeley, Kevin Stewart MSP (Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing) and also asking Professor Jason Leitch, Scotland’s National Clinical Director, his thoughts.
We worked in partnership with a range of stakeholders to encourage them to also share the importance of prioritising food as part of transformations to social care, this included the Health and Social Care Alliance and the Scottish Food Coalition.
You can view our response below:
Our key points were based on Eat Well Age Well’s 4 Calls to Action:
- The National Care Service must recognise the importance of food to wellbeing, recovery, avoidable malnutrition, falls, frailty and avoidable hospital admissions, supporting people to live independently in their own home
- The National Care Service should prioritise prevention and wellbeing.
- Community Investment – More and better investment should be made in community initiatives that address social isolation by providing befriending and opportunities for people to eat, shop or cook with others
- The Third Sector must be recognised as an equal partner as other delivery organisations as part of a National Care Service
If you have any questions on this work, please contact our Impact and Policy Officer, Tilly Robinson-Miles (tilly@eatwellagewell.org.uk)