Speaking at the Guardian Public Services Summit Scotland on Thursday 22 September, Martin Sime, Chief Executive, SCVO, is calling for the Scottish Government not to be distracted by local government structural reform and to focus on people to prevent social and health problems arising.

Martin Sime, Chief Executive, SCVO, said:

“We can’t allow structural reform to continue hijacking the debate on reforming public services. Helping people to help themselves before they require expensive health or care intervention is now the only option to revolutionise health and care services and save the government money.

“We call on the Scottish Government to step out of its departmental and national/local silos and develop a new approach to public service delivery that puts people – the greatest agents for change – at its heart.

“We know more of the same won’t do. More hospitals, more prisons and more public services trying to mop up problems won’t work.

“We welcome the Scottish Government’s major shift in focus to prevention and continued confidence in the third sector demonstrated in yesterday’s Spending Review. Public authorities must now live up to these commitments from John Swinney by working together to resource prevention and the third sector.”