The Scottish Government has denied scrapping the National Care Service, despite announcing a further delay to the flagship policy. 

In a letter to Holyrood's Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Social Care Minister Maree Todd said the Bill bringing in the centralised service would no longer be put to a vote this year, and a "revised timetable" would be set out in the New Year.

But with less than 18 months until the next Holyrood election, it will be difficult to develop legislation that would secure the support of enough MSPs before the Parliamentary session ends.

Read more:

There is expectation from stakeholders that the Scottish Government will drop the first part of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill which would have seen the government set up regional “care boards” directly accountable to Scottish ministers.

There has been mounting criticism of the plan which has already cost the taxpayer around £30 million. 

Crucially, councils, trade unions and carer's organisations all withdrew their support.

The SNP's chances of getting the Bill through Holyrood were effectively killed off last month when the Greens said they could no longer back it at the Stage 2 vote.

The plan to end the "postcode lottery" for care was a key policy of Nicola Sturgeon, who promised “the most significant public service reform since the creation of the NHS in 1948”.

(Image: PA) Maree Todd said the government would look to set a revised timetable in the new year

John Swinney was challenged on the future of the service during First Minister's Questions. 

The SNP leader said he accepted that there was "a lot of opposition to the National Care Service from a variety of institutional stakeholders”.

He also said he recognises the “issues within Parliament”, and said the Government will now “take its time to ensure that we get proposals right”.

“I have made it very clear that my Government is a listening government.

“We are listening to the views of members of the public, we are listening to the fact that people from disabled people’s organisations, carers, service users, are urging us to implement a National Care Service because they are dissatisfied, as I am, with the variation in care around the country, the postcode lottery.”

Scottish Tory leader Russell Findlay said the SNP had "already wasted £29m on a National Care Service that has not cared for a single person."

He added: “These plans should be scrapped entirely and investment put into frontline social care where it is so desperately needed.”

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar said  Scotland's care system was "fundamentally broken."

“Scots are seeing their care packages cut by this SNP government. While they have been fighting for their failed plan, families have been fighting for basic reforms to support their loved ones.”

This process has been a shambles and a disgrace," he added.

“Three years, three health ministers, and three First Ministers on and nothing to show for it.

“Just more SNP incompetence and waste that is holding Scotland back."

The Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “If this is the death knell of this centralising ministerial takeover of social care, I am glad.

"Scottish Liberal Democrats are the only party to have opposed it from day one. For four years, the SNP has wasted £30m a bureaucratic power grab."

COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson, Councillor Paul Kelly, said they were also happy that the Scottish Government was "finally listening" concerns about the legislation. 

“There is no doubt that our care system requires urgent reform and sustainable investment. Care is a fundamental part of our communities, supporting people to live healthy, safe & fulfilling lives.

“Council budgets have been cut by the Scottish Government year-on-year which leaves Councils no other options than to consider cuts to care and other vital local services. This is having an impact on both those accessing and delivering care support and cannot continue. We must urgently see care valued for the critical role it plays in supporting people and society. "

STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer described it as a "deeply welcome move from the Scottish Government."

She added: "It is correct that they have, albeit belatedly, listened to the voices around the table who urged them to see sense.

“The Bill, as it stands, was deeply flawed and had lost the confidence of workers and other sector partners. It does nothing to address the key weaknesses within the current system – low pay, insecure conditions, chronic staff retention and a complete overdependence on highly financialised, profit-driven providers.

“We can wipe the slate clean. Whilst we await full confirmation the Bill is dead for the foreseeable, that doesn’t mean we can’t implement the reforms our social care needs for the here and now."

Read more:

Louise Gilmour, GMB Scotland secretary, said the botched blueprint was a wasted opportunity.

“A chance to do things better has been squandered and ministers should stop wasting words on a new care service and start building a better one.

“Fairly rewarding the skills, experience and commitment of workers delivering frontline care would have ended the crisis in recruitment and retention that is sabotaging the service.

“A huge amount of time, money and goodwill has been frittered away on plans for a national care service that failed to properly address that fundamental issue.

“If our members in care had received a penny pay rise every time politicians promised them £15 an hour, for example, we would not be in such crisis."