Timescales for adult carer support plans and young carer statements for carers of people who are terminally ill

Closed 12 Apr 2019

Opened 18 Jan 2019

Contact

0131 244 6141

carerspolicy@gov.scot

Feedback updated 12 Apr 2021

We asked

The consultation on timescales for adult carer support plans and young carer statements for carers of terminally ill persons sought views on :

  • the overall outcome these regulations should seek to support and the principles they should follow;
  • when the timescales in the regulations should be triggered, i.e. when the clock should start;
  • time limits for holding the first substantive conversation with the carer to start preparing an adult carer support plan or young carer statement; and
  • time limits for completing an adult carer support plan or young carer statement;
  • whether the time limits for the first substantive conversation should include non-working days or working days only; and
  • whether there should be different time limits for adult carers and young carers.

The consultation was developed with input from a task group involving representatives from Palliative Care Scotland, Marie Curie, Macmillan Cancer Support, Association of Palliative Care Social Workers, Children’s Hospices Across Scotland, Carers Trust Scotland and COSLA.

You said

The consultation opened on 18/01/2019 for 12 weeks and closed on the 12/04/2019.

  • 46 responses were received.

(47 responses were submitted on line, but 1 response contained no data)

  • 23 individuals responded
  • 23 organisations responded, this included 16 Statutory organisations and 7 Non Statutory organisations.

We did

The responses to the consultation were analysed and discussed with the task group to help inform the draft regulations and associated guidance.

The published report can be accessed here, Consultation Analysis report.

The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 (Adult Carers and Young Carers of Terminally Ill Persons: Timescales for Adult Carer Support Plans and Young Carer Statements etc.) Regulations 2021, can be accessed at legislation.gov.uk.

Published responses

View submitted responses where consent has been given to publish the response.

Overview

The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 extends and enhances the rights of unpaid carers in Scotland by giving ALL carers the right to an adult carer support plan or young carer statement. These documents identify the outcomes that are important to the carer; their needs; and any support to be provided. The Act requires Scottish Ministers to set timescales for preparing adult carer support plans and young carer statements for carers of people who are terminally ill, with a life expectancy of up to 6 months.

Why your views matter

The views from this consultation will be used to inform regulations that will set prioritised time limits for the preparation of adult carer support plans and young carer statements for carers of people who are terminally ill.

Read the consultation paper.

What happens next

Where respondents have given permission for their response to be made public, and after we have checked that they contain no potentially defamatory material, responses will be made available to the public at http://consult.scotland.gov.uk. If you use Citizen Space to respond, you will receive a copy of your response via email.

We will use the information from this consultation to inform the development of regulations on time limits for the preparation of adult carer support plans and young carer statements for carers of people who are terminally ill. All responses will be analysed and considered, along with any other available evidence, with input from a working group of organisations with an interest in this issue. We expect to have the regulations ready to put before the Scottish Parliament later this year.

Interests

  • Children and Families
  • Equality, Welfare and Rights
  • Health and Social Care