Instead, a new non-statutory advisory board – comprising people with lived experience of accessing care, social care workers, care providers, trade unions, the NHS and local government – will be established to provide guidance and drive improvement within the sector. It is expected to meet for the first time in the spring.

Outlining the next steps for reform to Parliament yesterday, social care minister Maree Todd, said she will scrap Part 1 of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill but will retain Parts 2 and 3 of the Bill at Stage 2, subject to Parliament’s agreement.

The introduction of Anne’s Law, which upholds the rights of residents in care homes to be visited by families or friends, will remain in the legislation to reform social care, alongside a right to breaks for unpaid carers.

The Scottish Government Bill will also improve information-sharing across health settings and the ability for individuals to access and manage information about their care, while progressing plans for a national social work partnership.

Ms Todd said: “We want to deliver a National Care Service that improves the experience of everyone who relies on social care, social work and community health in Scotland.

“Change is urgently needed to reform the social care sector in Scotland but it has to be meaningful and sustainable change. That’s why we paused the Bill for further consideration, to fully capture the views expressed by all stakeholders, members of the public and the Parliament.

“The advisory board will include people with lived experience of social care, ensuring it has those who access services at its heart. It will allow us to drive forward vital reform more quickly than our original proposals.

“The Bill gives adult care home residents a legal right to see their loved ones with the implementation of Anne’s Law and recognises the significant contribution of unpaid carers to Scotland’s communities by introducing a right to breaks.

“There will be enhanced information-sharing to improve the coordination of individuals’ care, and we will work in partnership with the sector to bring forward reform that future-proofs the social work service in Scotland.

“People need sustainable change to social care and these actions will allow that to happen as quickly as possible.”

Age Scotland’s chief executive Katherine Crawford warned that “watered down” legislation will not solve the social care sector’s problems.

“This was the opportunity of a lifetime to really reform how social care is delivered but this substantive element of the plan has been dropped altogether, Ms Crawford said. “The key tests of better public accountability, responsibility, how care is invested in and consistent high standards across the country have not been met in what is now being presented.

“With a system crying out for reform, it’s incredibly disappointing that the Scottish Government has decided to water down its National Care Service plans to this level. The politics behind this has resulted in a collective failure of our older generation of today and tomorrow.”

She added: “Saving elements of the Bill such as supporting care home visiting and improving carers’ rights is very important and must be upheld.

“The challenges facing social care are only getting greater, with huge waits to receive it, an increasing number of people having their packages pulled overnight, and thousands of older people spending months in hospital because they can’t get the vital care they need and deserve at home.

“As it stands, this Bill won’t fix any of that. Without really fixing social care, the Scottish Government’s attempts to reform the health service will happen with one hand tied behind its back.”

STUC general secretary Roz Foyer said: “The failure of the Scottish Government to get to grips with the key issues in social care has resulted in this mess. With over £30 million spent on developing a National Care Service that lacked vision, left service provision at the mercy of profiteers and not addressing low pay and poor conditions in the sector, it’s little wonder that workers lost faith in the government’s plans. Care sector workers won’t be celebrating this announcement and it’s yet another blow to their trust in Scottish Government.

“Carer’s rights and Anne’s law are important parts of the package and it is right they remain. If the Scottish Government are heading back to the drawing board, we would suggest they start with improving care workers pay and conditions, which will help alleviate the recruitment and retention crisis and in turn, ensure those in need of support receive the quality and consistency of care they deserve.”