Social care jobs in Scotland will be created at six new start-up social care projects, thanks to a recent grant of nearly £6 million.

The Scottish Futures Trust has awarded funding to six social care 'hubs' to help them launch operations. These centres are the first sections of the Scottish government's "hub initiatives" scheme to create new social care and health projects through partnerships between the public and private sector.

More than £1 billion of new community infrastructure is planned to be delivered by the hub initiative. The aim is to establish centres which bring organisations such as health boards and local authorities together with a development partner from the private sector. It is hoped that the initiative will provide a catalyst for increased co-operation and sharing of services between health care providers in Scotland.

Speaking in the Edinburgh Evening News, Barry White, the chief executive of the Scottish Futures Trust, said: "Hubs will provide excellent value for money as organisations across Scotland seek to improve their local infrastructure and deliver better public services."

"Similar initiatives elsewhere have led to increased public use of facilities, increased take up of services and high levels of satisfaction among users."

John Swinney, the Scottish Finance Secretary, was quoted as saying "The construction of modern community facilities has the added benefit of boosting construction sector jobs and helping to position the Scottish economy for recovery."

The Edinburgh Evening News reports that the Blackburn Partnership Centre will take the lions share (£1.6m) of the local funding for the Lothian start-ups. The centre is a joint development between NHS Lothian and West Lothian Council.