Improvement notices
Section 62 – Improvement notices: care services
112.This section gives SCSWIS the power to serve an improvement notice on a care service. Such a notice will specify the improvements required to bring a care service up to the standards required and the timescale for meeting these standards.
113.For care services registered under this Chapter, subsection (1)(a) provides for SCSWIS to warn that if the necessary improvements are not made within the time allowed SCSWIS intends to begin procedures under section 64 to cancel a service's registration. Subsection (1)(b) provides for SCSWIS to warn that if improvement notices served on local authority adoption and fostering services and other services registered under Chapter 4 are not complied with SCSWIS intends to make a report to Scottish Ministers under section 91.
114.There may be cases where a voluntary or private sector service commissioned by a local authority is essential to the fulfilment of a local authority duty. Subsection (2) therefore provides that when an improvement notice is given to a non-local authority service, the local authority should be informed.
Section 63 – Special provision for certain care services provided by local authorities
115.This section adds to the provisions on improvement notices for local authority services registered under this Chapter to cover cases where the local authority considers that withdrawal of registration would place it in breach of a statutory duty.
116.Subsection (1) requires such a local authority to inform SCSWIS of its view within 14 days of receiving an improvement notice, giving the reasons. Subsection (2) requires SCSWIS then to copy the improvement notice to Ministers with the local authority's argument and their views on it. Subsection (3) requires Ministers to decide whether the local authority's view is justified. If it is, the care service is deemed to be registered under Chapter 4 and the provisions in that Chapter in relation to enforcement would apply. If it is not, the normal arrangements under Chapter 3 would apply.