Health and Social Care Standards

The new Standards have been written for both people experiencing and people providing care and support. They focus on people rather than policies, paperwork and property. Instead of setting out a list of inputs that all providers must meet, these Standards are much more outcome-focused and will help everyone focus on what really matters – the experience of the cared for person.

Carers Scotland worked with Carers Trust Scotland, the national carer organisations, Care Inspectorate and NHS Inform to develop a booklet about the standards for carers. This booklet has been written to help unpaid carers understand how the Health and Social Care Standards relate to their caring role and to ensure that they are involved in planning and support. The Standards set out what people should expect when experiencing health, social care or social work services in Scotland. They seek to provide a better care experience for everyone; to ensure that individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and that the basic human rights we are all entitled to are upheld. This booklet explains what the Standards mean for unpaid carers and the people they look after.

We have also developed this short animation which explains more about the standards.