Promises: easy to make, harder to keep.
Throughout my role at the Independent Care Review, I was clear: the care community were my boss. It was for them, not politicians (or anyone else), to decide whether I did a good job. And I warmly invited and welcomed their feedback at every turn.
The promise was built on openness, honesty, and truth - regardless of how difficult it was to hear.
It was the care community that called for the Independent Care Review, and its entire programme of work was led by the care community. They selflessly shared their stories and experiences in the hope of making life better, not just for them, but for the children, families and care experienced adults following them – and, in making the promise in February 2020, Scotland listened.
Following the Independent Care Review, I was appointed as Independent Strategic Advisor. Earlier this year the First Minister reappointed me to that role, so today I continue to work for the care community and will do so until the promise is kept in 2030.
This means for the coming five years, my focus will continue to be on the sectors, systems and services that must change.
I cannot think of anything more important than dedicating myself to helping make sure that Scotland keeps its promise.
The approach I will take is detailed in my Work Programme, which is being published today, organised around the three functions of the role of Independent Strategic Advisor: strategy, delivery and relationships. It sets out how I will continue to build and maintain strong, collaborative relationships so I’m invited into rooms where problems that need to be solved are discussed. Once in, I will always make sure the voices and expectations of the care community are heard.
This requires:
- Staying up to date on what’s working for children, families and care experienced adults, and what’s not, where and why
- Knowing what else needs to change and who is responsible for making that change
- Building networks comprising of those with responsibility to change to support collaborative working
- Developing new approaches to solve age-old, unresolved problems
- Sustaining open, honest, trusting relationships - so my advice is sought and taken.
My Work Programme acknowledges the dedication of the unpaid and paid workforce and the progress they’ve made towards keeping the promise over the last five years. Many of the changes they have made tested the tolerance of the current ‘care system’ and demonstrated what can be done with what Scotland has. Although often difficult to achieve, these changes are the more straightforward ones to action, there are more - and more challenging - changes to come.
That is where Scotland currently is.
It is time to build on the progress made and wade deeper into the deep-rooted, complex - seemingly intractable - challenges that are getting in the way of delivering the transformation promised to find the solutions together. This must result in an increase to pace and momentum to make up ground lost, in part due to the global pandemic, and better experiences for children, families and care experienced adults.
My Work Programme summarises how I will use my role to help make those changes, identifying where I will support and guide and where I will challenge. It shows where my time, energy and resources will be concentrated over the next 18 months to have the greatest impact, and clear the path for what is required next.
Staying true to the promise made, I will not accept the status quo – which is not always good enough. I will not be comfortable with complacency when courage is needed. And I will not condone decisions and initiatives motivated by making savings or generating revenue, under the guise of keeping the promise - when they do the very opposite.
Realistically, the organisations who are aware of what they need to do but have not changed sufficiently so far, are unlikely to when change gets harder still - unless they are supported too. So, that is what I will do, meaning I must operate in ways that make sure I am invited into room by, whilst being clear about and staying true to what must change.
This requires all of us to persist - despite the going getting tough – to refuse to give up, instead do all we can, whilst honoured the voices of the care community and keeping them at the centre.
Everything that must change for the promise to be kept was designed and built here, so can - and must - be redesigned and rebuilt here. I have seen the desire and will to make these changes since the Independent Care Review started, and eight years later, I still see this.
Keeping the promise is entirely within Scotland’s grasp.
About the author
Fiona Duncan
Independent Strategic Advisor
Fiona Duncan is the Independent Strategic Advisor - the promise, and advises Scottish Ministers in this capacity.