A document has been published setting out what every care user and their families should expect from services in Scotland – and what people can do if their rights or expectations are not met. The Scottish government says the National Care Service Charter of Rights marks a significant step towards improving care services across Scotland.

The Charter of Rights is aimed at helping people understand their existing rights within social care, social work, and community health settings.

The government says the document has been informed by conversations with over 700 people, including people with experience of accessing care and support, unpaid carers, people who work in health and social care, and stakeholder organisations.

The central rights of every service user set out in the Charter are to:

be treated without discrimination and in a way that supports them to have equal opportunities to other people;

have their private and family life, home and correspondence respected;

be protected from harm, neglect and abuse; and

be safe in their home and community, including if they live in a care home or other facility.

The Charter makes clear that nobody should be treated unfairly on the basis of their age, disability, race, sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment status, pregnancy and maternity, or religion or belief.

The document makes it clear that public bodies such as councils and health boards must make sure their decisions help tackle discrimination, promote equality, and build positive relationships between different groups. This includes reducing disadvantages, meeting people’s needs, encouraging full participation in society, and helping to reduce prejudice and improve understanding between people.

Service users, the Charter confirms, should be treated fairly by having support that works with them, offers choice, respects their identity, culture and beliefs, understands trauma, and is accessible — including for people in rural areas or with different communication needs. Support providers should ask what a service user needs and help them get that, while public bodies must make reasonable changes to remove barriers for disabled people.

Where rights are not respected or things go wrong, the Charter now includes a section on making complaints, and lists various organisations that can help if a complaint needs to be escalated beyond the service provider.

Those making complaints, the Charter says, should expect to be listened to with empathy and treated with dignity and compassion, told when they should expect to receive a response, and kept informed about the progress of their complaint and told the outcome.

Mutual respect

However, the Charter makes it clear that everyone who provides care should also be treated with dignity and respect.

The Charter states:

“Like everyone, people who provide social care, social work and community health support have rights to be protected from harm.

“To make sure this happens, your support should be provided in a way that prevents stress and distress and keeps everyone safe.”

 

Read more: Collective bargaining promised for social care; Moves to extend FOI to care homes; Urgent plea to safeguard advocacy amid local cuts

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