The amendments, all of which are subject to Parliament’s agreement, come ahead of Stage 2 proceedings of the National Care Service Bill later this month.

As the National Care Service will now be established through both legislative and non-legislative means, with reform of social care at the centre it is proposed the Bill will be known as the “Care Reform (Scotland) Bill”.

If agreed by Parliament, as amended, the Bill will also bring forward significant reforms to social care, including:  

• Anne’s Law being enshrined into legislation to uphold the rights of people living in adult care homes to see loved ones and identify an essential care supporter
• ensuring all those working in or supplying services to the health and social care sector follow the same information standards allowing easier communication
• the creation of a national chief social work advisor post, in statute, to bring strategic leadership at a national level.

The Bill will also retain measures to establish a legal right to breaks for unpaid carers. Ahead of the legislation, the Scottish Government has identified an additional £5 million in the draft 2025-26 Budget to support 15,000 carers to take short breaks from their caring responsibilities.

Ministers announced in January that legislation to set up a new public body to oversee national improvements would no longer go ahead. However, work to establish a National Care Service Advisory Board is progressing and it is due to meet for the first time in March.

Social care minister Maree Todd said: ”Social care has the power to transform people’s lives, that is why it is so important that those accessing services receive the highest quality care, delivered consistently across Scotland.

“The amendments lodged in Parliament offer us the best opportunity to urgently get to work to reform the system and have a transformative impact on people’s lives.

“Positive progress is being made on establishing an advisory board that puts people with experience of the social care system at the heart of it, helping deliver the changes we all want to see.”