National Care Standards - Care Homes for Older People

Introduction to National Care Standards

Scottish Ministers set up the National Care Standards Committee (NCSC) to develop national standards. The NCSC carried out this work with the help of a number of working groups. These groups included people who use services, their families and carers, along with staff, professional associations, regulators from health and social care, local authorities, health boards and independent providers. Many others were also involved in the consultation process.

As a result, the standards have been developed from the point of view of people who use the services. They describe what each individual person can expect from the service provider. They focus on the quality of life that the person using the service actually experiences.

Using the National Care Standards

If you are thinking about moving into a home, you will want to refer to the standards to help you decide which home to choose. If you already live in a care home, you may use the standards when discussing the service you receive with:

• staff and managers;

• your social worker or care manager, if you have one; or

• someone acting on your behalf, for example, your lawyer or other

  independent representative.

The standards are grouped under headings which follow the person’s journey through the service. These are as follows:

Before moving in (standards 1 to 6)

1 Informing and deciding

2 Trial visits

3 Your legal rights

4 Your environment

5 Management and staffing arrangements

6 Support arrangements

Settling in (standards 7 to 11)

7 Moving in

8 Making choices

9 Feeling safe and secure

10 Exercising your rights

11 Expressing your views

Day-to-day life (standards 12 to 19)

12 Lifestyle – social, cultural and religious belief or faith

13 Eating well

14 Keeping well – healthcare

15 Keeping well – medication

16 Private life

17 Daily life

18 Keeping in touch

19 Support and care in dying and death

Moving on (standard 20)

20 Moving on