« Previous | Contents | Next »
Listen
Appendix 1: Outputs from consultation on the regulation of healthcare support staff and social services support staff in Scotland - Executive Summary, including summary of responses
Executive Summary
The consultation paper was issued on 6 May 2004, and closed for comment on 20 September 2004. It was targeted towards professional and regulatory bodies, and employers and employees of the health and social services sector. It invited comments on proposals for extending regulation to a wider group of health and social services staff; health care assistants, assistant practitioners in a wide range of care settings, AHP's assistants, healthcare scientist workforce, social services support staff, pathology assistant practitioners.
The aims of the consultation paper were to;
- establish whether regulatory arrangements should be extended to include specified assistants and support staff
- consider how to regulate groups of staff who move across or work outside of traditional boundaries
- establish how we can ensure quality
- determine the most appropriate form of regulation
- establish who should regulate these groups of staff
- consider whether there are alternatives to statutory regulation
122 responses were received. Key respondents were; The Nursing and Midwifery Council, The Health Professions Council, Scottish Social Services Council, The Council for Healthcare Regulatory Excellence, NHS Education for Scotland, The Royal College of Nursing and UNISON Scotland, NHSScotland Operating Divisions/Boards, Local Authorities.
Summary Findings
- 93% of responses indicated that regulatory arrangements should be extended to cover health and social services assistants and support staff.
- 81% of responses felt that health and social services support staff should be accountable for their own practice, but that this should be dependent on their level of training and/or scope of practice.
- 70% of responses felt that setting standards for assistants and support staff should be the responsibility of the manager/employer, but in consultation with support staff.
- The consensus was that 'preferably' assistants and support staff should be regulated as a single group within a single framework. However, it was also felt that, to avoid multiple registration and to facilitate transferability of staff between the 4 UK countries, it would make sense for existing regulators to work together to develop core/common standards, with some discipline specific standards.
- 90% of responses indicated that statutory regulation was the most appropriate way to ensure public protection.
- 64% felt that Scotland should follow any decision that might be taken in England
- There was no general consensus over which of the regulatory bodies should regulate these staff. 33% indicated it should be the relevant professional organisation. 60% indicated that if the HPC was selected to regulate this group of staff, then it should be done by statutory committee.
- 84% indicated the Scottish Social Services Council should not be the regulatory body, but 33% indicated that the SSSC should be responsible for only for social services staff
- 85% of responses felt that regulation would not lead to problems such as a second class workforce, rather it would raise their profile, and lead to an enhanced workforce.
- The majority were content that statutory regulation is the most appropriate way to ensure public protection but others remain to be convinced that statutory regulation is appropriate and encouraged the consideration of employer led regulation.
A copy of the full report can be found on line here
« Previous | Contents | Next »