A consultation has been launched on the draft human rights and wellbeing principles that underpin the development of new National Care Standards for health and social care services in Scotland.

The National Care Standards help everyone understand what they have a right to expect when they access health and social care services. They also help services understand and meet the quality and standards of care which they should provide.

The Care Inspectorate and Healthcare Improvement Scotland are asking everyone with an interest and involvement in health or social care, personal and professional, to take part in the consultation which will help the standards evolve to meet the needs, rights and choices of people across Scotland.

Paul Edie, Chair of the Care Inspectorate said: “Everyone in Scotland has a right to high quality services which provide high quality, safe and compassionate care.

“We will all access a health or social care service at some point in our lives and it’s important that the new National Care Standards better reflect the needs and rights of people in Scotland.

“That’s why we’re consulting the experts, and that includes both the people who use services and their loved ones, and those who provide and work in health and social care, to ensure that the new National Care Standards will be as effective and accessible as they can be, with human rights and wellbeing sitting at their core.”

The first stage of the review of the current National Care Standards is to consult people who have an interest on seven overarching draft principles.

These draft principles will apply across all health and social care services, including hospitals, independent healthcare, NHS surgeries, social work provision, criminal justice, social care and early learning and childcare.

The consultation response will then inform the development of generic and specialist standards which will apply to services across health and social care.

The consultation can be accessed here: www.newcarestandards.scot

Paul Edie, Chair of the Care Inspectorate added: “Until 10 December 2015, we will consult on the draft principles, which are that everyone has the right to be respected, to compassion, to be included, to be treated fairly, to responsive services, to be safe and a right to personal wellbeing.

“After the consultation has finished and people’s views considered, the draft principles will be finalised and rolled out from April 2016.

“We will then draft the new generic and specific standards and further consult on them. We anticipate that the new National Care Standards will be rolled out from 2017 and will be inspected against by scrutiny bodies after that. This is a tremendous opportunity to shape health and social care services across Scotland for the future and I hope as many people as possible will get involved.”

Denise Coia, Chair of Healthcare Improvement Scotland, said: “The public's views matter.

“We're hoping that people will help us to develop the future of health and social care in Scotland by providing their views on the principles that will guide the development of the National Care Standards.

“It's important that these services are developed with the involvement of the people who will use these services, as well as other interested parties.

“We all want to see services which provide high quality, safe and compassionate care for all, and we look forward to engaging with the public to shape and achieve this."

The consultation will aim to engage and consult with as many people as possible, with both users of services and with health and social care professionals. The initiative includes a major social media campaign, a new short film and a programme of speaking events, including conferences and workshops in collaboration with a broad range of public bodies.

National Care Standards were established by the Scottish Government in 2002 to help people to understand what to expect from care standards and services to understand the standards they should deliver.

The Care Inspectorate and Healthcare Improvement Scotland have been tasked with leading a development group that will produce these new standards, closely working alongside people using services, carers, providers and other agencies. The first thing the development group did was to develop a set of draft overarching principles which are now to being consulted on.

To take part in the consultation, please visit www.newcarestandards.scot