New Health and Social Care Standards

Scotland’s new Health and Social Care Standards have been launched, with human rights at their core.

The standards, which will be implemented on 1 April 2018, will apply to the NHS as well as services registered with the Care Inspectorate and Healthcare Improvement Scotland, and set out the standard people should expect when using health or social care services.

They are focused on improving people’s experience of care and are based on five outcomes:

• I experience high quality care and support that is right for me.
• I am fully involved in all decisions about my care and support.
• I have confidence in the people who support and care for me.
• I have confidence in the organisation providing my care and support.
• I experience a high quality environment if the organisation provides the premises.

They are also underpinned by five principles: dignity and respect; compassion; be included; responsive care and support and wellbeing; which reflect the way that everyone should expect to be treated.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said:

“I’m delighted to launch our new Health and Social Care Standards and commend all of the hard work that has gone into creating these new, human rights-based standards.

“The new standards are wide reaching, flexible and focused on the experience of people using services. One of the major changes is that they will now be applicable to the NHS, as well as services registered with the Care Inspectorate and Healthcare Improvement Scotland.

“Everyone is entitled to high-quality care and support, designed for their particular needs and choices. This could be in a hospital; a care home; a children’s nursery; or within their own home.

“Each and everyone one of us at some point in our lives will use, or know someone who uses a health or social care service. That’s why these Standards are so important – to ensure that everyone in Scotland receives the care and support that is right for them.”

CEO of Scottish Care, Dr Donald MacAskill said:

“To be treated with dignity, to be related to as an individual and to achieve what you can in life are at the heart of all good care and support. I am delighted that the new Health and Social Care Standards enshrine a human rights based approach to the way in which services support some of our most vulnerable citizens.

“They are a great opportunity for those who work in health and social care, those who use the services and wider Scottish society to work together to create a world-class system of health and social care. By the means of the new Standards Scottish Care providers will join with others in making rights real for the citizens of Scotland.”

COSLA Spokesperson for Health and Wellbeing, Cllr Peter Johnston said:

“Local Government Leaders endorsed and welcomed the new Health and Social Care Standards. The new standards set an ambitious agenda which will challenge us to consider and show how we are delivering for the people we serve on a daily basis.

“The partnership work which has gone into developing these standards sets the tone for how the health and social care system needs to work into the future. Local Government will continue to work with Scottish Government and across our partners to support their implementation in all that we do.”

Background

In 2014 Ministers committed to a review of the Care Standards with a view to developing new standards capable of being applied across both health and social care services. The new Standards will be applied to a diverse range of services from child-minding and daycare for children in their early years, housing support and care at home for adults, to hospitals, clinics and care homes.

During 2015, a set of 5 Principles were developed with a Project Board and Development Group, in collaboration with key partners. Following a public consultation these were agreed by the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing on 1 March 2016.

Between March and September 2016, a more detailed set of draft general standards were produced which were put out to public consultation in 28 October 2016. The Scottish Government has been working with the Care Inspectorate, Healthcare Improvement Scotland and other partners to make changes to the draft Standards based upon the 499 consultation responses received.

The new Standards will be taken into account by the Care Inspectorate, Healthcare Improvement Scotland and other scrutiny bodies from 1 April 2018 in the inspection and scrutiny of services. Our aim is that non-registered services also use the Standards as a guideline for how to achieve high quality care.