More than 200 third sector health and social care leaders have signed an open letter to First Minister, John Swinney.
Published in a recent edition of the Herald on Sunday, the letter stresses that without immediate action, the consequences of the crisis will be felt across society, with the people and families in Scotland already facing the greatest challenges paying the price.
Led by the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) and the Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland (CCPS), and supported by of its members, the letter makes four demands of the Scottish Government:
- An immediate, substantial cash injection in the upcoming Spending Review, including full cost recovery for employer National Insurance increases
- A medium-term fully-funded recovery plan for the sector, addressing underinvestment
- Multi-year funding agreements adjusted for inflation, to ensure stability for organisations
- A firm commitment to fully include the sector in planning and decision-making
The Scottish Government say they are committed to change in the health and social care sector based on the the findings and principles of the 2011 Christie Review.
The principles of empowerment, integration, prevention and efficiency provide a blueprint for what public services should be for and how they should be structured.
Data collected by the ALLIANCE and CCPS illustrates the pressure that the sector is under and why it is vital that the Scottish Government provide much-needed investment and stability:
- In a March 2024 survey by the ALLIANCE, nearly half (49%) of the member organisations that responded reported their financial position as “insecure.”
- A February 2025 poll by CCPS found that 67% of not-for-profit providers are relying on financial reserves to stay afloat – and of these, 91% say they will cease to be viable within four years if that trend continues.
- Recent data from SCVO shows that 81% of voluntary organisations are facing financial pressures that threaten essential services – an increase of 10% from 2023.
The ALLIANCE and CCPS say they are committed to working with the Scottish Government to achieve the key asks outlined in the letter.
Read the letter and calls in full below:
