New Human Rights report launched by Scottish Care

Human Rights Day is celebrated annually on December 10, commemorating the day when the UN General Assembly adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948.

Scottish Care are delighted to share our newest report – written by our CEO, Dr Donald Macaskill – on Human Rights Day 2019. This piece is titled ‘The Human Right to Social Care: A Potential for Scotland’ – focusing on the ‘right to health’ in relation to social care and long-term care, and how it can impact social care practice.

You can view the report below.

The Human Right to Social Care

Home Care Day 19: Changing times for home care – a blog by our National Director, Karen Hedge

 

How is home care changing…

The pace of change is fast, yet the principles of care and compassion are age old. Whilst practical methodologies have changed in how we might support someone, the way we want to feel when we are cared for has not. Care, which is grounded in dignity and compassion, which supports us to be independent and to have choice and control, to be part of and contribute to our communities for as long as we might wish, and which makes us feel safe and connected.

We are now in a place where idea to execution can take only a matter of weeks, making it all the more important to ground progress in human rights. There is much conversation about the role of technology in social care – increasingly more of us use wearables, tech is becoming much less intrusive, but the development of products has often been in isolation from the sector, or solution- focussed rather than innovative. Earlier this year, Scottish Care launched A Human Rights Charter for Digital and Technology (https://scottishcare.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/Tech-charter.pdf), developed in collaboration with people who access care and support, care providers, academics, software and hardware producers and others. By signing up to the charter, organisations commit to founding their developments in human rights, and with this in mind technology is developed which can help to create the conditions or that positive care experience. The development of the charter came from Dr Donald Macaskill’s report ‘Tech Rights’ which can be found here.

For the last 2 years, Scottish Care has been working with the European School of Innovation and Design at GSA on what the future of care should look like. You see it is important as Megatrends drive change, that to ensure these principles remain as key drivers, we are not only ready, but are part of leading change to come (https://futurehealthandwellbeing.org/future-of-care-at-home).

What was initially seen as a 20-year vision is already coming to being (I said the pace of change is fast). Out of the research came 3 new roles for home care. They have a particular focus on connectivity and feeling connected, which chimes with the human rights approach outlined in the aforementioned ‘Tech Rights’ report. Much of this is about freeing up care staff to simply ‘be human’, and with that the potential to optimise their wide-ranging skills in care and support.

We have since ran workshops with providers and regulators and many others to test out the applicability of the roles and as a result, some organisations have made changes to practice. The roles were designed to stimulate conversation and inspire the sector towards meeting requirements of the future, yet we are now seeing components of the roles in action.

Some care organisations have begun to monitor vital signs which is leading to a reduction in unplanned hospital admissions or GP visits. Some have invested in digital software and staff who will analyse the data contained within to inform care plans for the future. The opportunity to introduce e-MAR in care at home has reduced mistakes as well as medicines wastage.

The regulators are getting behind the trends with the SSSC developing open badges in the use of technology, and the Care Inspectorate looking to upskill their own staff to be able to inspect in a technological age of care.

Technology is being used to support people to live more independently, where an alert system or other can offer security that care, and support will be there when needed. This is not just about in emergency situations, although this is obviously important and can form part of the home care support offer, but this is about longer term data analysis which in identifying trends sooner allows us to intervene sooner.

The challenge with this is the multiple systems which we all use – I am frustrated when my laptop and phone don’t speak because one is Apple and one is Android, but imagine if you have several systems, all collecting data. The solution is not to make them interoperable, nor to have one tech provider owning the market, but instead to have a cloud-based system where citizens hold their own data, and which they get to choose who has access to it. Better still, imagine if this data was held across a person’s care journey and could be accessed across health and social care. Scottish Care is working with organisations to pilot this technology in 2020 and of course will be developed with the Tech Charter at its foundation, because there are many ethical questions to be answered in this context.

But megatrends do not point solely to technological advances. There is much talk of collaboration and whilst laudable, it is merely being promoted as a systemic diversion rather than a real solution. The change required in social care remains as it always has done, by focussing on the individual and how they can lead in their care and support. The future is about creating the conditions to achieve that, and collaboration may be one aspect, but what is truly required is the realisation of integration in the widest sense. Every week I read the Economist, there is a call for a change to capitalism – what is needed in home care is a route to address the power imbalances tied up in tender process and contracting, shifting the importance to achieving person-led care and support with systems which support all who are involved in making it happen. Another example of such a shift is the increasing number of employee-owned organisations in social care – widening the offer which people who access care and support have available to them.

It is clear that the independent care sector is at the forefront of developments for the future. Of course it is, it is a sector of innovators and entrepreneurs and it has the capacity to adapt quickly, with the support of skilled and dedicated staff who come to work because they care. Home care also bucks the business trend by having proportionally more women in leadership roles and as business owners. Scottish Care is working with Women’s Enterprise to promote the sector as such and to explore further why that may be and how other organisations can learn from this, culminating in a Cross-Party Group at Scottish Parliament.

It might be Home Care Celebration Day, but it is not the only day that we should be celebrating home care. It is not only a part of our future but leading the way. As one of very few job roles which sees no threat by automation, it is integral to our future. To deliver care is to care and we should be proud of that.

Thank you

Karen Hedge

National Director, Scottish Care

 

#homecareday19

Home Care Day 19: CAH & HS Outstanding Achievement Award Winner – Claire Easdon

The ‘Real people, real lives‘ theme of #homecareday19 celebrates the achievements and lives of people who access home care support. As part of this, we are delighted to highlight an extraordinary individual who was the winner of the Outstanding Achievement for Adults Award at our Care at Home & Housing Support Awards 2019.

Claire Easdon is an inspirational young woman who has been supported to maintain an independent lifestyle at home with her cat, despite living with cerebral palsy and associated physical and medical challenges.

She is described as very optimistic by nature, possessing a good sense of humour and a personality that charms those around her.  With the help of others, she maintains a lovely home, has full choice and control of all areas of her life and has a great supportive family.

Her passion in life is wheelchair contemporary dancing and this shows in her ability and attitude.  She attends two different dance schools each week and has performed publicly with them.  Her family are very proud of her achievements and of her motivation to do well at everything she becomes involved in.  She does not allow her physical restrictions to dictate her lifestyle.

She has inspired staff to continue in their own personal quests to see past physical disability and has given them the opportunity to use these skills to motivate other people in similar situations.

Whilst she is faced with considerable discomfort throughout each day, staff described spending time with her as ‘humbling’, especially considering how physically demanding her pursuits are.

Claire’s story is truly inspiring, and she truly deserves to be the recipient of the Outstanding Achievement Award.

Do you have any stories which celebrates the lives of people who access home care support? Share them with us on social media using the hashtag #homecareday19!

Photo shows (from L-R): Michelle McManus (awards host),  Lorraine Forrest (Claire’s mother), Claire Easdon (winner), Professor Alan Baird (from award sponsor Scottish Care) 

Home Care Day 19: Working in Home Care, a blog from our Workforce Lead

“It is a privilege to be welcomed into someone’s home and to work with them in their daily lives”

Working in home care is not for the faint hearted, however, for the amazing individuals that do work in home care it is, even with the challenges, a particularly rewarding career.  It is a privilege to be welcomed into someone’s home and to work with them in their daily lives experiencing all their different highs and lows.  The relationship between care and support workers and those they provide services to can be something extremely emotional to behold.

I personally have many stories and great memories from working in home care both as a care and support worker and as a manager.  I started working as a care worker at the age of 24 and it made me into the person I am today.  I learnt so much from the people I supported from practical skills to seeing different perspectives and learning some good old-fashioned wisdom.

When I started as a new care worker, even with comprehensive training, it can be an overwhelming experience going into people’s homes and assisting them with their complex needs.  Learning how to assist an individual to move in a training session is quite different from assisting an actual person with various health concerns and mobility issues.  I was very fortunate to receive great support from wonderful supervisors who were able to demonstrate the job and mentor new staff members with little or no previous care experience.  Care and support workers who had worked in care for many years and had that innate and natural ability to build relationships with people in challenging situations and to make a difference to their lives.  These experienced workers provide reassurance and comfort at distressing times in a person’s life and are invaluable when showing new workers that important aspect of the role.  Many practical skills are transferable and can be taught but having compassion and empathy for others in distress and understanding their needs is at the heart of the job the social care workforce does.

I will never forget the supervisor who received a round of applause upon completing roughly five minutes of the Great Scottish Run in order to get from one side of the road to the other.  The crowd watching the run responded with joy and laughter when the supervisor set off at a jog in pace of the runners to weave her way through the crowd.

This is a lighthearted example but there are so many more of staff going above and beyond to help and care for the service users they support.  This often means taking time out of their own lives and personal time to stay with someone who is unwell or has fallen.  Home care workers rearrange their own commitments and responsibilities to ensure that the individual has a familiar face and someone there to provide comfort while they are waiting on an ambulance and are in pain or unwell.

I had the absolute privilege to accompany staff during the extreme adverse weather we experienced when the “Beast from the East” came to Glasgow.  Staff were walking though knee-deep snow and found the solution of wearing poly bags over their socks and inside their boots to try to keep their feet warm and dry.  On an occasion where people were being advised to stay at home and protect themselves, care and support staff, among others, were out walking through the snow and blizzards to get to people in their homes and give them the care and support they needed.

Within all types of social care valuable relationships are made but it is so inspiring especially as a manager of a home care service when you find that match between care and support worker and service user that is life changing for that individual.  I have seen first-hand the difference that special person can make especially when people have experienced mental health problems and periods of stress and aguish caused by a change in life circumstances.  To see someone flourish under the right support after a time that they thought they would never get back to the person they had been is so rewarding for all involved.

I loved my job as a home care manager going out and meeting some fantastic individuals and hearing stories of their lives and personal experiences.  I met an elderly lady who had worked at the age of 16 during the war on a forty-foot crane and had walked along the gantry whistling with her hands in her pockets.  People are full of surprises from all walks of life and have so much to offer to the younger generations.  This is an important aspect of social care and we must realise that these relationships can go both ways and benefit both the care worker and service user.  Staff often express their pleasure in some of the things that they learn from the people they support, and you can see this empowers the service user too when sharing their life skills with others.

Amongst the current challenges it is important to remember the positive aspects of this sector and the good times that happen too.  I will leave you with a story that I feel encompasses home care: I was talking with a provider who told me that during the torrential rain we had back in September they had been calling their staff working out and about in the community to see how they were getting on.  When the manager of the service had spoken with one staff member they had responded that they were absolutely fine: they had been soaked to the skin while getting to their first call, however, they were now getting dry and were nice and warm in the service users home having a cup of tea together and planning the day ahead.  That to me gives a true example of the sharing of lives and experiences and the wonderful benefits that home care can bring to both the workforce and those they care and support.

Caroline Deane

Workforce Policy & Practice Lead, Scottish Care

#homecareday19

Home Care Day 19: Defining home care, a blog by our CEO, Dr Donald Macaskill

 

‘You can change a life in a few minutes…’

In my role I inevitably spend a lot of time with policy makers, commissioners and politicians talking about and not infrequently arguing over the nature and state of the homecare sector in Scotland.  In some of these discussions I get a sense that folks do not really understand the nature of the care and support the sector offers and delivers. For too many there is still an outdated image of homecare as ‘mopping and shopping,’ as a set of practical activities designed to make people feel better but not much more than that. As almost like an added luxury!  This lack of real understanding of what homecare is has become especially evident during this General Election – albeit that these issues are technically reserved matters in Scotland – when it is clear that there is a lack of public and societal awareness about the nature of what homecare is and how critical and vital it is for tens of thousands of people.

But when you strip all the debates – which are critical – around commissioning, funding, workforce and the future away – what you are left with is a consideration of what the essence of care at home and housing support is.

That is why Scottish Care has been articulating our own definition of social care – in part because far too many people (and some of these should know better) keep conflating social care with health care – which it clearly is not! We have stated that:

‘The enabling of those who require support or care to achieve their full citizenship as independent and autonomous individuals. It involves the fostering of contribution, the achievement of potential, the nurturing of belonging to enable the individual person to flourish.’

Homecare is that care and support which enables and empowers an individual to be free, autonomous and independent in their own home. It is the energy which gives purpose to someone wanting to remain in their own space and place, it is the structure of support and care which enables citizens to remain connected to their families and friends, their neighbours, streets and villages. It is not an added extra but the essential care that enables life to be lived to its fullest.

The best of homecare is a care that changes life and gives life.

Some of my readers may know that I am a bit of a Bruce Springsteen obsessive. In an interview which he gave around the time he launched his autobiography in 2016, Springsteen said that:

‘You can change a life in three minutes with the right song.’

He expanded on this by talking about the power of song to change a life and give voice to a story which is not heard or told; the importance of his own challenging upbringing in giving him continuity and boundary, freedom and permission. He spoke insightfully about the way in which words and music can create a possible future for those who feel alone, empty and directionless.

At the time the sense of words and music changing and transforming a life struck me as being a powerful description of the musicality of one of the greats of his genre. But I also think that it is a description of the essential life changing and enabling power which lies at the heart of care. It is this ability to change a life through care and support which we are celebrating in this second Homecare Day.

The women and men who work in homecare are life-changers. The reason that statement is true is that by their acts of personal care, by supporting someone to take their medicines, to get up in the morning; by making sure their space and place is tidy and safe, that hazards are controlled or removed; by taking someone to a club or to their family, to an activity or simply to belong somewhere, these women and men who are the workers of care are the gifters of purpose and meaning to so many. This is not incidental it is essential. It is this work that binds a community together, that truly creates neighbourhood, and moulds togetherness in the midst of our cities, towns and villages.

Most of us are able to be independent – to get around on our own, to have the control that we need not be dependent upon another. As life changes through age or illness the loss of that independence and the forming of bonds which make us reliant upon another can be both challenging and difficult for our sense of identity and self-worth. It is in this territory that the marvellous work of support and care locates itself and comes to the fore.

Good care is not about taking over another person’s autonomy, good support is not about creating dependency – they are both the total reverse. They are the actions and deeds, the words and encouragement that enable others to either re-discover or find for the first time, the abilities to make decisions, to exercise choice, to be in control and to be independent even if support is needed to achieve that goal.

This is why homecare is important – it is because for so many of us being in our own space and place surrounded by familiar furnishings of our memory and the story of who we are,  are critically important to enabling us to be ourselves or to be the person we dream of becoming. The autonomy that homecare gives  a supported person enables them to flourish to their best and continue to grow into the person they want to be.

So, if a good song can change a life in three minutes then good care and support changes a future forever.

So today let us celebrate homecare as the lifeblood of a society which cares.

Dr Donald Macaskill

CEO, Scottish Care

#homecareday19

The Scottish Government’s Adult Social Care Recruitment Campaign – An Overview

Introduction

In early 2020, the Scottish Government will be launching a national recruitment campaign aimed at frontline workers in adult social care (ASC).

Purpose

Recruitment pressures have been increasing in ASC particularly for frontline workers, and some vacancies are becoming harder to fill. This campaign is in response to these pressures, and to the National Health and Social Care Workforce Plan which includes a recommendation to deliver a national recruitment campaign to promote social care as a meaningful, valued and rewarding career choice. This campaign aims to attract new recruits into ASC, in particular in care homes, care at home and housing support.

Timeline

The campaign will launch on 27th January 2020. The campaign will run for eight weeks.

Campaign Development

A review of existing research and bespoke insight research was undertaken to inform the development of the campaign approach and target audience. The campaign’s development and messaging was also informed by:

  • People who use services
  • Focus groups with the campaign’s target audience and the existing workforce
  • A Campaign Advisory Group (CAG)[1]

Target Audience

The campaign is aimed primarily at male and female career changers in the C1C2D socioeconomic groups (SEGs) aged 22-45, with a secondary audience of the same SEG, aged 45-54. A third audience will be key influencers and the sector.

Media Strategy

The media strategy will target commuters on their way to and from work, and is timed to coincide with the ‘new year, new start’ mind-set, when people are considering changing career. It will comprise of press (Metro and Big Issue), digital advertising, radio (local and national) and outdoor advertising (e.g. on buses, trains, phone kiosks and digital sheet panels).  

In addition to the media, there will be:

  • A campaign website, signposting to SSSC’s careers pathway website
  • Partnership and Field activity targeting commuters
  • PR, promoting the campaign and case studies of people who work in ASC

Next Steps

A more detailed overview of the campaign, together with a stakeholder toolkit, will be shared with you once the creative assets have been developed and the website is live.


[1] CAG members are: Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC), CCPS, Scottish Care, COSLA, Care Inspectorate, Health and Social Care Scotland, Colleges Development Network, IRSS, Northern Alliance, the Society of Personnel Directors Scotland, Turning Point, the Scottish Government’s  Marketing and Insight Team and the Office of the Chief Social Work Adviser.  

 

News Release: Home Care Celebration Day 2019 – Wed 4 Dec

The contribution of home care support is to be celebrated across the UK.

Wednesday 4 December will see an online campaign raising awareness of the crucial role of care at home and housing support services in supporting older and vulnerable citizens across the UK.

Home Care Celebration Day aims to celebrate what home care services do, the people that work in them and the achievements of those supported at home.  The day also seeks to facilitate wider discussions on the future of home care and what services should look like.

The day is supported by two leading care bodies, Scottish Care and United Kingdom Homecare Association (UKHCA), who are calling for organisations and individuals across the UK to join them on social media in raising the profile and value of home care support using the hashtag #homecareday19

Dr Donald Macaskill, CEO of Scottish Care, said:

“This is the third annual Home Care Day and Scottish Care is delighted that it is now a day which is celebrated across the whole of the United Kingdom. It is a day to celebrate and recognise the professional carers who are the lifeblood of Scotland’s care and health system. Through their dedicated skill in support, in palliative and end of life care, in enabling people to remain at home and feel safe, Scotland’s home care workers deserve a debt of huge gratitude.

I hope the day will be one where everyone takes some time to think about those who are cared for and those who care for them. Together they can make us into the nation we want to be, one that cares and enables individuals to live to their fullest potential.”

Jane Townson, CEO of UKHCA, added:

“Home Care Day is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the difference that the 750,000 people who work in home care services are making in the lives of almost a million people across the UK every year.  From combating loneliness through to supporting people with increasingly complex conditions home care services enable people to live healthier, independent lives at home – the preference for the vast majority of people.

We’re encouraging as many people as possible to get involved in the day and share their stories of the people using and work in care services, as well as their views on the future developments for the sector – please join us at: #homecareday19.” 

Everyone is invited to use this fantastic opportunity to share any good news stories about this sector. We encourage people and organisations to get involved by sharing content through social media with the hashtag #homecareday19. There are a number of themes planned throughout the day including:

  • Defining home care: 8am-10am
    A celebration of what home care is and the crucial role it plays in our communities and health and social care systems
  • Home care heroes: 10am-12pm
    A celebration of the many individuals who work in home care services and the impact they have on people’s lives through their commitment to care
  • Real people, real lives: 12pm-2pm
    A celebration of the achievements and lives of the people who access home care support
  • Changing times : 2pm-4pm
    A celebration of the many ways in which home care services are able to adapt to meet a changing policy and practice landscape
  • The future of home care: 4pm-6pm
    A celebration of the opportunities provided through home care services and support for shaping the future of health and social care

Home Care Day – 4 December 2019

Home Care Day is taking place this year on Wednesday 4 December 2019!

This is a largely online event which looks to celebrate and recognise of the care at home and housing support services across Scotland – including individuals who access these services,  those who work in the sector, and the opportunities that home care services bring to a wide range of people.

Whether you are a provider, worker or partner, we would love to hear your positive good-news stories about the care at home/housing support sector. Please share them with us on social media using the hashtag #homecareday19.

There are several themes planned throughout the day including:

8 am – 10 am: Defining home care 
A celebration of what home care is and the crucial role it plays in our communities and health and social care systems

10 am – 12 pm: Home care heroes
A celebration of the many individuals who work in home care services and the impact they have on people’s lives through their commitment to care

12 pm – 2 pm: Real people, real lives
A celebration of the achievements and lives of the people who access home care support

2 pm – 4 pm: Changing times
A celebration of the many ways in which home care services are able to adapt to meet a changing policy and practice landscape

4 pm – 6 pm: The future of home care
A celebration of the opportunities provided through home care services and support for shaping the future of health and social care

homecare 19 flyer (2)

National Care Home Awards 2019

Scottish Care’s annual National Care Home Awards took place this year on Friday 15 November at the Hilton Hotel in Glasgow.

Huge congratulations to all our winners and finalists, and thank you to all our award sponsors!

#celebratecare #careawards19

Nutrition & Eating Well Award

Winner: Marie Hunter – Thorntoun Estate Nursing Home

Finalists: Iain Young – Murrayside Care Home & Lizzy McNielage – Rumbling Bridge Care Home

Pictured: Winner and Finalists with Michelle McManus and Sakib Rafiq – The Nursing Partnership (Award Sponsor)

Training, Learning & Staff Development Award

Winner: Bandrum Management Team – Bandrum Nursing Home

Finalists: Lynn Hewetson – Erskine Park Home & Margaret Campbell – Blar Buidhe Care Home

Pictured: Winner and Finalists with Michelle McManus and Ann Bain – Vision Care at Home (Award Sponsor)

Outstanding Achievement Award

Winner: Jane Williams – Florence House

Pictured: Winner’s daughter and Florence House staff members with Michelle McManus and Tom Speirs – Addleshaw Goddard (Award Sponsor)

Palliative & End of Life Care Practise Award

Winner: Eric Cordiner – Four Hills Care Home

Finalists: Greencross Care Home & Precious Time Project Team – Antonine House Care Home

Pictured: Winner and Finalists with Michelle McManus and Alan Baird – Scottish Care (Award Sponsor)

Carer of the Year

Winner: Lavinia Tanu – Balhousie Pitlochry

Finalists: Rosie Martinez – Jenny’s Well Care Home & Vicky Purves – Murray House, Queens House Care Home

Pictured: Winner and Finalists with Michelle McManus and Justin Hutchens – HC-One (Award Sponsor)

Care Home Service of the Year

Winner: Queens House (Kelso) Ltd.

Finalists: Morningside Care Home & Abbeyfield Ballachulish

Pictured: Winner and Finalists with Michelle McManus and Linda Meston – Simply Care Group (UK) Limited (Award Sponsor)

Special Recognition Award

Winner: Robert Kilgour – Renaissance Care

Pictured: Winner with Michelle McManus and Senga Currie – Quality Compliance Systems (Award Sponsor)

Ancillary & Support Staff Award

Winner: Jackie Kennedy – Erskine Park Home

Finalists: Christine Massie – Fordmill Nursing Home & Anne Hughes – Morningside Care Home

Pictured: Winner and Finalists with Michelle McManus and Elaine Rankin – Strategic Thinking (Award Sponsor)

Meaningful Activity Award

Winner: Activity Team – Charnwood Lodge Care Home

Finalists: Sheila Baxter – Beech Manor Care Home & Erskine Care Team – Erskine Park Home/ The Erskine Home

Pictured: Winner and Finalists with Michelle McManus and Andrew Coventry – Lyreco (Award Sponsor)

Emerging Talent Award

Winner: Ben Haddow – Balhousie Luncarty

Finalists: Ross Milne – The Birches & Anthony Mangonon – Berelands House Care Home

Pictured: Winner and Finalists with Michelle McManus and Gerry Hennessey – Meallmore Ltd. (Award Sponsor)

Management & Leadership Award

Winner: Yvonne Manson – Balhousie Care Group

Finalists: Kirsty Faulds – Kyle Court & Teresa Mangonon – Berelands House Care Home

Pictured: Winner and Finalists with Michelle McManus and Alex Wilson – Four Seasons Health Care (Award Sponsor)

Nurse of the Year Award

Winner: Jenny Coutts – Tor-Na-Dee Care Home

Finalists: Linda Mason – Laurels Lodge Care Home & Moira Craig – Hatton Lea

Pictured: Winner and Finalists with Michelle McManus and Salma Iqbal – Boots Care Services (Award Sponsor)

Specialist Service/Unit of the Year Award

Winner: The Oaks Care Home

Finalists: Meadowview Unit – Bandrum Nursing Home & Jenny’s Well Care Home

Pictured: Winner and Finalists with Michelle McManus and Fiona Fagan – Barchester Healthcare (Award Sponsor)

Positive Impact Award

Winner: Pat Gibson – Braeside House

Finalists: McLelland Unit – Douglas View & Diana Moles – Bandrum Nursing Home

Pictured: Winner and Finalists with Michelle McManus and Max Oerton – Compass Associates Ltd. (Award Sponsor)

Care Inspectorate: Consultation events for care at home and housing support services

Since 2018, the Care Inspectorate have been rolling out a revised methodology for inspecting care and support services. The core of the new approach is a quality framework for use in self-evaluation, scrutiny and improvement support which sets out the elements that will help answer key questions about the difference care is making to people and the quality and effectiveness of the things that contribute to those differences. This involves setting out what they expect to see in high-quality care and support provision in order to help allow improvement. Using a framework in this way develops a shared of what constitutes good care and support.

Work is currently underway on a joint framework for support services (care at home) and housing support services (including combined services). The Care Inspectorate wish to consult with the sector to ensure that the framework reflects key issues and areas of practice that will support positive outcomes for the people using this range of services. This will be an approach that will consider how they inspect services across the range of services under these registration categories.

Consultation events are being held at the following locations and we encourage you to participate. A session will be run at each location from 9.30am – 12.30pm. Places will be limited, so please book your place as soon as possible if you are interested.

Please contact Jane McIntosh at [email protected] to request a place at any of the following events:

  • Tuesday 26 November 2019 at the Best Western Queens Hotel Dundee 160 Nethergate, Dundee, DD1 4DU
  • Thursday 28 November 2019 at the Stirling Court Hotel, Airthrey Road, Stirling, Stirlingshire, FK9 4LA

 Please note: A further event will be arranged for Orkney to take place in January 2020.