The Independent Review of Inspection, Scrutiny and Regulation (IRISR) was announced on 23rd September. The IRISR will make recommendations to ensure that social care support services are the best that they can be for those that use them and work within them. IRISR will ensure a human rights and person-centred approach is central to the inspection and regulation of social care and will consider how this can be applied across linked services.

In order to support the Review the government has launched a Call for Evidence where you can share your written views on how you think inspection and regulation can ensure social care support services can continually improve now and in the future.

Your views are essential to the success of the IRISR and to ensure the government get the widest possible range of views, they are also hosting a range of in person and virtual engagement events alongside the Call for Evidence.

Below are the themes and key questions that are being considered in the review- you will see that they not only relate to out of school care but also any social care services that you, your relatives or friends may use. We would encourage you to respond to this consultation.

SOSCN has already shared our thoughts at an in-person event and we shall also be submitting written evidence in advance of the deadline on 23rd December 2022. If you do submit evidence please remember you do not necessarily have to answer all the questions- you may choose to answer only those which you feel are most relevant.

Theme 1 - A Person Centred Approach

• How can we ensure that people with lived and living experience of care and support services are able/supported to contribute to inspection, scrutiny and regulation processes?

Theme 2 - What needs to be inspected, scrutinised and regulated

• Do you feel there are services that are not currently subject to inspection, scrutiny and regulation that should be? If yes, please tell us:
• a) which type of services?
• b) why you think they should be inspected/scrutinised/regulated?
• c) who should be responsible for this?

Theme 3 - How should inspection scrutiny and regulation be carried out

• Would a system work where the same regulator inspected all services? If yes, why? And if no, why not?
• Should there be different regulators for inspection (the organisation that looks at how things are working) and improvement (the organisation that supports things getting better). If yes, why? If no, why not?
• How can we ensure that regulation and inspection processes are underpinned by a commitment to improving services?
• Should regulation, inspection and scrutiny have an emphasis on services continually improving? What might that look like?
• What should happen if something goes wrong in a service?
• Who should be responsible for making improvements to services?
• How do we make sure regulatory bodies are doing a good job?

Theme 4 - How will we know systems are working

• How can we ensure that people and their families who require care and support, have the information they need about how providers are performing to support their decisions about care and support?
• What information might that be?

Theme 5 - How will systems of inspection scrutiny and regulation support the workforce

• How do we ensure there is compliance and consistency with workforce registration requirements?
• How can we ensure that people who work in care and support services are able to contribute to inspection, scrutiny and regulation processes?

For further information about the review as well as events and how to submit evidence, please go to:

https://consult.gov.scot/health-and-social-care/inspection-scrutiny-and-regulation-of-social-care/