Social care - Independent Review of Inspection, Scrutiny and Regulation: recommendation report - executive summary

Theme 4 - how will we know systems are working?

When people and their families need to access social care support, particularly for the first time, it can be a life changing experience, involving bringing new people and routines into an individual’s life. This often means having to understand a lot of information to inform decisions about what might work best for the person and their family. It also often requires placing a significant amount of trust in services, professionals and regulators. For some it can be a worrying time whilst for others it can be reassuring, offering up new opportunities.

As part of the Review, it was important to explore how we know systems are working by speaking to people about issues related to informed decision making, digital technologies, data collection and supporting good practice.

The recommendations made under this theme are:

27. It is recommended that qualitative measures should be co-designed by the regulatory agencies and people with lived and living experience to ensure that they include elements of services that are important to people.

28. It is recommended that the sharing of data is examined, with the people at the centre of the process having access to their own data in formats that facilitate their understanding of it in order to support decision making and their involvement in this. This data should also be utilised for service planning and improvement, both strategic and operational.

29. It is recommended that data is utilised for social care planning and individuals, and their advocates have access to this to inform their choices.

30. It is recommended that the type of data collected, and its purpose, is reviewed to ensure that the right data is collected for the right reasons, with a focus on data supporting performance management and service improvement.

31. It is recommended that a more tailored and contextualised approach is developed to how GDPR is used and interpreted within the regulatory landscape. It is also recommended that an Information Governance (IG) group is established to support the effective and proper use of information and engagement with IG experts.

32. It is recommended that there is a ‘duty to co-operate’ placed upon service providers to share data appropriately and equally upon regulatory bodies to work together to avoid duplication in their requests for information.

33. It is recommended that a review of the Health and Social Care Standards takes place to ensure they are based on human rights, ethical commissioning and are outcomes focused. The Standards should be the basis on which social care support services are inspected, scrutinised and regulated.