National Care Service: questions and answers - engagement sessions

Complaints and Redress

In terms of complaints, it looks like it would be the Scottish Ministers rather than the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) that would oversee complaints. Is it envisaged that the SPSO will have a role?

• As public bodies, the National Care Service and its care boards will be subject to the Scottish Public Sector Ombudsman's (SPSO) complaints oversight. The SPSO's wider role in the National Care Service Complaints and Redress process will be determined through co-design of the National Care Service with people with lived experience. The provisions in the National Care Service Bill are drafted to enable the meaningful co-design of an accessible, timely and effective complaints and redress process that works for people and not the system.

• We recognise the important role of oversight bodies such as the SPSO in handling complaints about social care and community health services. As such, we will continue to work closely with bodies such as the SPSO to develop a complaints service that builds on good practice already in place, while also delivering on the outcomes of co-design with people with lived and living experience of social care.

How you plan to make complaint and compliment procedures accessible in all languages, including BSL?

• We have enshrined in the National Care Service Bill principles our commitment to ensuring that the National Care Service – as well as those providing services on its behalf – communicate with people in an inclusive way.
• As such, we will co-design the complaints service with a wide range of people with differing needs and life experiences, including people who have sensory impairments to ensure that they can receive information and express themselves in ways that best meet their individual needs.

Advocacy is surely about enabling people to ensure they are supported and have their voice heard/advocated for rather than just complaints?

• Yes. The National Care Service has equality, non-discrimination and the dignity of the individual at its heart. We recognise the importance of independent advocacy in empowering people to have their voices heard and to participate fully in decisions about their care. As such, we will develop and implement a coherent, consolidated and consistent approach to independent advocacy across the full range of the National Care Service.