Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019

12 Functions of SCSWIS in relation to staffing methods

(1) The Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 is amended as follows.

(2) After section 82 insert—

“CHAPTER 3A Care services: staffing

82A Development of staffing methods

(1) SCSWIS may develop and recommend to the Scottish Ministers staffing methods for use by persons who provide—

(a) care home services for adults, and

(b) such other care services as the Scottish Ministers may by regulations specify.

(2) In developing such methods, SCSWIS must collaborate with—

(a) the Scottish Ministers,

(b) Healthcare Improvement Scotland,

(c) the Scottish Social Services Council,

(d) every Health Board,

(e) every local authority,

(f) every integration authority,

(g) such persons as SCSWIS considers to be representative of the providers and users of the care services to whom the staffing methods are to apply,

(h) such trade unions and professional bodies as SCSWIS considers to be representative of individuals working in those care services, and

(i) such other persons as SCSWIS considers appropriate.

(3) In undertaking such collaboration, SCSWIS and those other persons must have regard to—

(a) any guidance issued by the Scottish Ministers about the operation of this section, and

(b) the guiding principles for health and care staffing set out in section 1 of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019.

(4) The Scottish Ministers must publish any guidance issued under subsection (3)(a).

(5) A staffing method developed and recommended under subsection (1) must include the use of staffing level tools designed to provide—

(a) quantitative information relating to workload, based on the needs of service users, and

(b) quantitative or qualitative information relating to professional judgement,

in order to assist in determining the appropriate staffing levels for a care service.

(6) A staffing method developed and recommended under subsection (1) may require persons who provide care services to put and keep in place risk management procedures that are appropriate to the care services provided.

(7) A staffing method developed and recommended under subsection (1) may include, in particular, the taking into account of—

(a) the current staffing levels of a care service and any vacancies,

(b) the local context in which a care service is provided,

(c) the physical environment in which a care service is provided,

(d) any assessment of the quality of a care service,

(e) the needs of the users of a care service,

(f) comments by the users of a care service, and by individuals who have a personal interest in their care (for example family members and carers within the meaning of section 1 of the Carers (Scotland) Act 2016), which relate to the duty imposed by section 7 of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019,

(g) comments by the individuals working in a care service which relate to the duty imposed by section 7 of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019,

(h) recommendations of senior care sector or health care professionals with qualifications and experience that are appropriate to the care services in question,

(i) the standards and outcomes applicable to care services published by the Scottish Ministers under section 50,

(j) such indicators or measures relating to the quality of care as SCSWIS considers appropriate,

(k) such guidance, published by professional bodies of the kind described in subsection (2)(h) or by other bodies with experience in relevant fields, as SCSWIS considers appropriate, and

(l) such clinical evidence and research as SCSWIS considers appropriate.

82B Regulations: requirement to use staffing methods

(1) Following the development and recommendation by SCSWIS under section 82A or 82C of a staffing method for use by persons who provide care services, the Scottish Ministers may by regulations require the use of that method (with or without modifications) by persons who provide those care services.

(2) Regulations under subsection (1) may prescribe—

(a) the types of care settings and individuals working in a care service in relation to which, and whom, a staffing method is to be used,

(b) the minimum frequency at which a staffing method is to be used, and

(c) the staffing level tools for the purpose of section 82A(5).

82C Review and redevelopment of staffing methods

(1) SCSWIS may—

(a) carry out reviews, from time to time as it considers appropriate, of the effectiveness of any staffing method which has been prescribed by the Scottish Ministers under section 82B (including any revised methods which have been developed under this section), and

(b) where it considers that any such method is no longer effective, recommend the revocation or replacement of the method to the Scottish Ministers.

(2) SCSWIS may develop and recommend to the Scottish Ministers revised staffing methods for use by persons who provide care services.

(3) Subsections (2), (3), (5) and (7) of section 82A apply to the redevelopment of staffing methods under this section as they apply to their development under that section.

(4) The Scottish Ministers may direct SCSWIS to develop a revised staffing method for use in relation to a particular kind of care service specified in the direction.

82D Review of duty on care service providers to ensure appropriate staffing

(1) SCSWIS may carry out reviews, from time to time as it considers appropriate, of the effectiveness of the operation of the duty under section 7 of the Health and Care (Staffing) (Scotland) Act 2019.

(2) Having carried out a review under subsection (1), SCSWIS may publish a report to the Scottish Ministers on the operation of that duty.

(3) A report under subsection (2) may be published in such manner as SCSWIS considers appropriate.

82E Duty to consider multi-disciplinary staffing tools

(1) When SCSWIS is developing a staffing level tool as part of a staffing method under section 82A or a revised staffing method under section 82C, it must consider whether the tool should apply to more than one professional discipline.

(2) SCSWIS may at any time recommend to the Scottish Ministers that a staffing level tool which has been prescribed as part of a staffing method by the Scottish Ministers under section 82B should apply to more than one professional discipline.

82F Interpretation of Chapter

In this Chapter—

• “care home services for adults” means care home services provided for individuals who have reached the age of 18 years,

• “care services” excludes care services provided by individuals who do not employ, or have not otherwise made arrangements with, other persons to assist with the provision of that service,

• “integration authority” has the meaning given by section 59 of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014,

• “working in a care service”, in relation to an individual, includes—

  (a)

  working for payment or as a volunteer, and

  (b)

  working under a contract of service or apprenticeship, a contract for services or otherwise than under a contract.”.