What is the Care Inspectorate doing?

The Care Inspectorate is changing how we inspect regulated services. This will begin with care homes for older people, in April 2018, and will be followed by a phased approach for all other service types during 2018/2019. We are currently piloting a new Quality Indicator framework in 21 care homes for older people and will evaluate the findings in early January.

Following this evaluation, we will refine and, if required, test again before the end of January, and ahead of March/ April 2018. The new framework will be a ‘quality indicators’ framework linked to Scotland’s new Health and Social Care Standards, which identify key outcomes for services and the inputs that are essential to bring about good outcomes for all. The new framework will enable providers to improve the outcomes and experience of people who use services and how their rights are promoted and protected. The quality indicator framework will be the basis of the new self-evaluation tool for all care homes for older people to start with. The Care Inspectorate will be taking account of the new Standards as part of our scrutiny activities in care homes for older people from April 2018.

What do providers need to consider?

As part of the development, we are listening to partners and providers to inform the development of a new self-evaluation tool. We want to help build capacity for improvement with providers which will enable providers to capture how well they are delivering good outcomes and can evidence this. This should be to satisfy your own quality of service rather than to (equally) meet the requirements of the Care Inspectorate. Commissioning, planning and delivery of care will also take account of the new Health and Social Care Standards. Your own self-evaluation or quality assurance tools should be developed in line with the new Standards.

From 1 April 2018, for all other service types, we will take account of the Health and Social Care Standards using the existing framework of Quality Themes (care and support, environment, staffing and leadership) until the new quality indicator framework and self evaluation is prepared for each different care sector, during 2018/2019. We will engage providers about the new framework throughout the start of 2018 and will provide a further update in January 2018. In the meantime, for further information, you can email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..