Miscellaneous
Section 50 – Standards and outcomes
85.This section requires Scottish Ministers to prepare and publish standards and outcomes applicable to care services and to social work services; to keep any published standards under review and to publish revised standards and outcomes when they consider it appropriate. Subsections (4) to (6) provide that both any published standards and outcomes applicable to care, adoption and social work services defined in the Act and the Scottish Social Services Council's Codes of Practice must be taken into account by SCSWIS when making any decisions related to registration, inspection and enforcement in respect of these services. This section also ensures that consultation must be undertaken prior to the publication of the standards and outcomes or any amendment of them. Subsection (7) allows Scottish Ministers to make different standards and/or outcomes for different services. Subsection (8) allows Scottish Ministers to delegate the preparation and publication of such standards and outcomes to other persons (which includes other bodies), where appropriate.
Section 51 – Information and advice
86.Subsection (1) provides that SCSWIS must make available to the public information on the availability and quality of social services. Subsection (2) provides that this information should be made available in any format that may reasonably be requested. Information provided might include details about the location and types of services available as well as the results of SCSWIS's inspections of individual social services.
87.Subsection (3)(a) allows SCSWIS to provide advice to Scottish Ministers at any time, and requires it to do so in response to a request by Scottish Ministers. Subsection (3)(b) requires SCSWIS to provide advice to service providers, service users and carers and their representatives, local authorities, health boards, social service providers or prospective providers, and any other bodies set out in an order made under that subsection, about any aspect of its work. For example, SCSWIS might offer advice to service providers on how to meet any standards and outcomes.
88.Subsection (4) allows SCSWIS to charge a reasonable fee for any advice, forms or documents it provides in connection with its obligations under subsection (3)(b).
Section 52 – Dissolution of Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care
89.This section dissolves the Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care (“Care Commission”).
