Inspection teams in Scotland trial new methods to drive health and social care integration

Scotland’s Care Inspectorate has collaborated with the improvement body for healthcare providers, Healthcare Improvement Scotland, on two trial inspection reports that are envisioned to pioneer a new joint approach.

Health and social care services in Moray and Aberdeenshire were chosen for the inspections, which have now concluded having taken place over a 24-week period.

Care Inspectorate chief executive, Annette Bruton, is optimistic that a more thorough inspection process which can benefit health services throughout Scotland has been achieved.

She comments: “These new inspections are crucial in ensuring that services for older people are operating at the high standard which people have a right to expect.

“We look at how well different agencies are working together to improve the outcomes experienced by older people in each area.

“We also examine if the care of older people living in their own homes is of a high standard, and we look at whether older people are getting the right kind of care at the right time and in the right place.

“The inspections are also designed to support improvement where services are not operating at a sufficient standard.

“As we move towards much closer working between health and social care, it is important to ensure that everyone is working together to protect and support older people.”

Angiolina Foster, chief executive of Healthcare Improvement Scotland also comments favourably, saying: “The shift in the balance of care from hospital and residential care to community services has meant that a different approach to scrutiny and inspection has been needed and these pilot joint inspections conducted by Healthcare Improvement Scotland and the Care Inspectorate are in direct response to that need.

“Crucially, the inspections have been designed to put people at the heart of our combined efforts and we have had inspection volunteers on each inspection. These are people who use care services themselves or are carers of people who use care services, and I would like to thank them for bringing an invaluable perspective to the inspection team.

“A key purpose of these reports is to support improvements in the services people receive. Both reports will be used by organisations who are delivering care to improve the services they provide, whether in a health or social care setting.”