On 26 March 2025, the Adaptation Scotland Programme hosted a collaborative event focused on a crucial question: How can Scotland’s social care sector build the resilience needed to adapt to the impacts of climate change?
The session brought together practitioners, public health experts, and social care leaders to share insights and begin shaping a shared vision for a climate-ready, resilient social care system that protects the people most vulnerable to climate-related risks.
Understanding Climate Vulnerability in Social Care
Dr Joanna Teuton, Public Health and Intelligence Advisor at Public Health Scotland, opened the session with a vital overview of the sector and its climate vulnerability.
She highlighted that climate risks—such as heatwaves or flooding—don’t affect everyone equally. Factors like age, existing health conditions, and socio-economic status influence how severely someone is impacted.
In this context, climate risk is understood as a combination of:
- The hazard itself (e.g., extreme heat)
- A person’s exposure to that hazard
- Their vulnerability, based on social and health-related factors
This understanding underscores the urgency of ensuring that Scotland’s social care system is both prepared for and adaptable to climate-related challenges.
Reflections from Integration Joint Board Leaders
We were joined by Alison White, Chief Officer of West Lothian’s Integration Joint Board (IJB), and Phil Mackie, Consultant in Public Health for NHS Grampian. Both shared perspectives from their work integrating health and social care and reflected on how adaptation can be built into these systems.
Key insights from Alison and Phil included:
- Influence matters – It’s not just about what actions IJBs take, but how they influence broader decision-making spaces.
- Guidance is needed – A lack of clear, actionable guidance is a current barrier for IJBs hoping to integrate adaptation into their planning.
- Planning for the long term – There is a need for systemic, transformative thinking that goes beyond short-term goals and integrates adaptation and mitigation into long-term strategies.
Envisioning a Resilient Social Care Sector
During the event, participants were asked: What does a resilient, well-adapting social care sector look like?
The most popular vision was of a “holistic” system—one that is supportive, collaborative, and able to provide uninterrupted services despite the changing climate.
Participants also shared ideas on what’s required to make this vision a reality.
| What is needed to meet the vision | Resources required |
|---|---|
| A shared understanding of climate challenges Guidance, training, and support – especially for measuring impact Greater awareness of adaptation among service providers Linking climate action with health outcomes Use of existing tools and cross-sector knowledge Stronger communication and engagement Senior buy-in and prioritisation of climate action Translating climate science into social care language Open-mindedness and willingness to act | Practical, health-and-social-care-focused guidance Funding for subject matter experts Clear national guidance to support IJBs Opportunities for collaboration and networking Research into adaptation barriers in health and care |
Lastly, participants discussed who should be involved and invited into future conversations about adaptation and the social care sector:
Looking Ahead
The Adaptation Scotland programme will be collaborating with key partners this year to develop a new resource for the social care sector to build climate resilience for the sector.
Links for further info:
- Social and community care – Healthcare system – Public Health Scotland
- Inclusive Climate Action: A Scoping Review on the Representation and Inclusion of People With Intellectual Disability in Climate Change Research
- UKHSA 2024 Health Effects of Climate Change
- Resources | Climate Just
- Climate Resilient, Healthy and Equitable Places
