Promoting Excellence: A framework for all health and social services staff working with people with dementia, their families and carers

Background and purpose of the NES/ SSSC 'Promoting Excellence' framework

In June 2010, the Scottish Government launched Scotland's National Dementia Strategy. NHS Education for Scotland ( NES) and the Scottish Social Services Council ( SSSC) then developed Promoting Excellence: A framework for health and social services staff working with people with dementia, their families and carers to support delivery of the aspirations and change actions outlined in the strategy.

The NES/ SSSCPromoting Excellence framework details the knowledge and skills all health and social services staff should aspire to achieve in relation to the role they play in supporting people with a diagnosis of dementia, and their families, and carers. The NES/ SSSC framework has been designed in a way that recognises the existence of various sector (and professional group) specific standards and frameworks, for example: the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework; the Social Services Continuous Learning Framework and the National Occupational Standards for Health and Social Care.

• This framework supplements these existing frameworks.
• This framework applies to all health and social services staff who have contact with, and provide support, care, treatment and services for people who have dementia, and their families and carers.
• This framework is aspirational and future focussed - meaning it is not a just a description of what we do now - it is what we aspire to do in the future to support delivery of the aspirations and change actions outlined in Scotland's National Dementia Strategy.
• This framework details the knowledge and skills that will inform new ways of working for all health and social services staff to ensure we enable people with dementia, and their families and carers, to maximise their rights, choices and health and wellbeing at all stages of their unique dementia journey.