Published on 9 September 2025
1 minute read
The chief executive officer of CrossReach has joined a call for action to avert the health and social care crisis in Scotland.
Viv Dickenson is among more than 200 third sector health and social care leaders who have signed an open letter to First Minister John Swinney calling for immediate steps to address threats to the sector.
More than 200 third sector health and social care leaders who have signed an open letter to First Minister John Swinney calling for immediate steps to address threats to the sector.
It calls for commitments to funding and inclusive decision making and makes clear that without action now, the consequences of the crisis within the social care sector will be felt across society, from deepening inequalities to even greater pressure on the NHS and public services.
CrossReach, the operating name of the Church of Scotland’s Social Care Council which provides cradle to the grave services across Scotland, says the country’s most vulnerable individuals and families are paying the price.
Mrs Dickenson said:”Everyone may need social care at some stage in their lives, or have loved ones who need care.
“If the system crumbles, we cannot live life to the full.
“Like everyone, we’ve had to make cuts in services and preventative work has been hit really hard.”
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 hundreds of its members, the letter makes four key asks of the Scottish Government:
- An immediate, substantial cash injection in the upcoming Spending Review, including full cost recovery for increases to employer National Insurance
- A medium-term fully-funded recovery plan for the sector, to address decades of 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’s recent announcement on reform sets out a commitment to change in the health and social care sector based on the Christie principles, from the widely-supported 2011 Christie Review.
These principles of empowerment, integration, prevention and efficiency provide a blueprint for what public services should do and how they should be structured.
While the third sector supports these commitments, the reality is that they cannot be delivered without urgent, targeted investment in the very organisations expected to implement the changes.
Read the letter and calls in full here.
Viv Dickenson