During February and March 2026, the East Lothian Health and Social Care Partnership (ELHSCP) consulted the public on their draft Local Carers Strategy 2026–2030, which is East Lothian’s third local carers strategy.
The strategy is described as setting out a shared vision, aspirations, and ambitions for unpaid carers in East Lothian. It also outlines the current situation, the desired outcomes, and the actions intended to achieve this progress.
Carers of East Lothian, are the locally commissioned service providing advice, information, and support for unpaid carers in the area whilst strengthening their collective voice to improve services. We submitted our response to the consultation and are now sharing a summary of our response.
We welcome the commitment shown by ELHSCP to recognising the vital role unpaid carers play in sustaining health and social care services and supporting communities across East Lothian. We support the overall ambition of the strategy to improve outcomes for unpaid carers. We look forward to reviewing the action plan, which we expect will outline key factors including implementation, accountability, resourcing, and timescales. We would like to see further detail within the action plan, outlining:
- responsible organisations or leads
- delivery mechanisms
- measurable targets or milestones
- implementation timelines
- associated funding or resource allocation
Once this information has been clarified, we would welcome the opportunity for carers and stakeholders, including ourselves to review and comment further.
Carers Act (Scotland) funding
The strategy references £1.54 million of Carers Act (Scotland) funding and indicates that this funding has been fully allocated to carer services.
However:
- According to Coalition of Carers, the current allocation for 25/26 is approximately £1.79 million[1].
In our response to the consultation, we have requested further information on Carers Act funding and how it is distributed across services in East Lothian. We would like to see this information being made available to carers and stakeholders. We have also recommended transparency around underspend and how unspent funds will be used to benefit carers.
Carers Voice
The strategy highlights the importance of ensuring that carers’ voices are heard. We would like to see specific actions within the action plan that focus on strengthening systems that actively listen to carers, as well as focusing on actions to support carers to self-advocate and influence change.
Independent Advocacy
The strategy references independent advocacy for carers. We have requested further detail on what advocacy services will be available, how these services will be funded, who will deliver them and how carers will access them.
Financial Hardship
The strategy acknowledges that many carers experience financial hardship, including low income and food insecurity. However, it does not outline specific actions that will address these issues. We would like to see concrete commitments within the action plan around:
- proactive income maximisation support for carers
- strengthened links with welfare rights services
- targeted support for carers experiencing poverty or food insecurity
- monitoring of financial outcomes for carers
Right to a Break and Adult Carer Support Plans
The strategy links the “Right to a Break” directly to the completion of an Adult Carer Support Plan (ACSP).
While ACSPs are an important statutory mechanism for identifying carer needs, the strategy should take account of current capacity constraints within the system to ensure effective delivery. At present, the volume of carers seeking support already places significant pressure on ACSP delivery capacity. Linking access to breaks directly to ACSP completion is therefore likely to create unmanageable demand.
The strategy should:
- acknowledge current ACSP capacity limitations
- outline how additional demand will be managed
- clarify whether alternative routes to accessing short breaks will remain available
- ensure that implementation does not inadvertently create barriers to accessing breaks
Tracking and Responding to Unmet Need
The strategy states that Adult Carer Support Plans will be used to record and track unmet need, with the intention that this information will inform future investment decisions. We would like to see further information about:
- how unmet need data is analysed
- how it informs commissioning decisions
- whether the data leads to measurable service improvements
Create a Dedicated Carer Policy and Systems Learning Programme
To empower carers effectively, it is essential that they have a clear understanding of the wider economic and political landscape in which care services operate. Informed decision-making and meaningful participation in policy discussions require carers to understand how systems function, including the structures of education, funding, and relevant legislation.
The Carers Strategy should therefore include opportunities for carers to develop this knowledge through a structured programme of activities and training. This could cover how public services are organised and funded, how legislation and policy influence service delivery, and how decisions are made at local and national levels.
Equipping carers with this knowledge will strengthen their confidence and ability to participate in discussions, challenge assumptions, and ask difficult or probing questions when necessary. If carers are to play a genuine role in shaping services and influencing change, they must be supported to understand the context and constraints within which that change takes place. Building this capacity will help ensure that carers are not only consulted but are able to engage as informed partners in the development and improvement of services.
In conclusion
We strongly support the ambition of East Lothian HSCP to improve outcomes for unpaid carers and recognise the significant work undertaken to develop this strategy. We look forward to reading the associated implementation plans, as well as transparent funding information, and realistic delivery mechanisms.
We would welcome further dialogue with ELHSCP to ensure that the final strategy is both ambitious and deliverable, and that it reflects the lived experiences and needs of carers across East Lothian.
[1] https://www.carersnet.org/councils-encouraged-to-spend-carers-act-funding-on-local-carer-support/