The Scottish Government

NATIONAL CARE STANDARDS COMMITTEE MEETING

Conference Room 2, Victoria Quay, Edinburgh, Monday 6 September 2004

Note of the Meeting

Present: Adam Rennie (Chair), Colin Anderson, Pek Yeong Berry, Lorraine Briggs, Susan Brimelow, Val Cox, Janet Law, Jim McDonald, Jan Miller, Roy Paterson, Janis Pelosi, Sean Doohan, Leigh Edwardson.

1. Welcome

1.1 Adam Rennie welcomed everyone to the twelfth meeting of the NCSC.

2. Apologies

2.1 Apologies were received from Janie Allen, Margaret Davidson, Mary McCann, Iain McKay, David Souter and David Whiteoak. Adam asked the Committee to note the resignations of Gordon Masterton and Sally Evans. The Committee extended their appreciation for all their work.

3. Note of the Last Meeting and Matters Arising

3.1 The minutes of the last meeting were agreed.

3.2 There were three matters arising from the last meeting.

Review of the National Care Standards Committee

3.3 This was considered under Updates.

Care Services Table

3.4 The Committee was informed that the table was now on the Care Standards and Sponsorship website and would be updated as and when required.

Awareness of the National Care Standards

3.5 This was considered under Updates.

4. Updates

Dental Services Consultation

4.1 The dental consultation is due to finish on 24 September. To date, about 50 responses have been received either by post or electronically.

4.2 NHS QIS are in the process of holding two open meetings for dental service providers and professionals. Adam is speaking at both of them for the Scottish Executive/NCSC interest. The first meeting was held on 1 September in Dundee. Jim McDonald provided an update on how the event had gone. He reported that the event had been well attended (approximately 50 people) and had been largely positive. The main points that arose from the meeting were:

• that not every Standard applies to each service;
• whether disclosure would be prospective or retrospective.
• that vulnerable adults were not specifically covered. It was queried whether vulnerable adults should have a separate standard, similar to Standard 15 'Children and Young People', or whether they should be recognised by being referred to throughout the document.
• Self Assessment. It was noted that the proposed self assessment document was very important and it would have been useful to have it available when considering the draft standards.
• Monitoring. It was noted that the current system, involving Dental Practice Advisors, had proved effective and there was discussion on whether their role could be extended in future plans for monitoring dentists.

4.3 A second open meeting is being held on 22 September in Glasgow, at which approximately 100 people are expected to attend.

4.4 Dental service users are to be consulted via a series of focus groups being conducted by RDS Consulting. The focus groups are being held throughout Scotland, including the islands. Committee members requested details of the focus groups, including the initial research specification, the brief for the focus groups and where they would to take place.

4.5 Fife Health Council is holding a public meeting on 15 September to discuss the draft dental Standards. Approximately 50 people are expected to attend and their views will be sought through 5 facilitated focus groups.

Independent Medical Consultants and GP Services

4.6 As indicated at the last meeting of Committee, the Sponsor branch had a meeting with policy colleagues to discuss the implications of policy changes and legal issues identified during the development of the draft standards. At present, the standards have been developed to cover wholly private provision. However, the Act covers all private provision including private aspects of mixed private/ NHS services in addition to wholly private. It was concluded that the draft standards should reflect the legal position and cover all private provision. The introduction had been amended to reflect this. A covering letter would be issued with the standards explaining that the power to except services from the definition of independent clinics would be taken in forthcoming legislation. Thereafter, a consultation on which services to except would be carried out. The Sponsor branch hoped to get a draft of the standards to Ministers for their agreement to go out for consultation shortly.

4.7 Queries were raised about the application or not of the Standards to out of hours services. It was advised that as such services will be provided under the NHS Act they are excepted from the definition in the ROC Act and, therefore, are not covered by the standards. Colin Anderson highlighted that there may be scope for private provision of out of hours services and this issue may need to be addressed at a later date.

Awareness of the National Care Standards

4.8 The Minister announced measures being taken to raise awareness of the NCS during a visit to St Joseph's Care Home, Glasgow on 3 September. These were:

• The NCS were now available free of charge;
• The launch of 2 new general leaflets and posters on the NCS, one aimed at children, the other adults. Committee members were provided with copies of the leaflets. 300,000 leaflets had been produced thus far and were being sent to key information points including doctors' surgeries, libraries and care services. The leaflets were well received by the Committee.
• The Executive would shortly be writing to Local Authorities and Health Boards regarding providing copies of the Standards to potential service users when needs are assessed.
• Legislative action is being taken to plug the gap in the regulation of agencies supplying temporary/ relief staff to care services.

4.9 Pek Yeong Berry raised the issue of providing copies of the leaflet in alternative languages and suggested that a consultation would be helpful to determine the main languages required. The Sponsor branch stated that they would look into this.

4.10 A suggestion was also made with regards to the development of a document that was a 'middle stop' between the leaflet and the Standards as some members felt that the Standards themselves may intimidate some users. An intermediary guide may help improve understanding of the Standards. The Sponsor branch undertook to consider this.

4.11 The Sponsor branch was currently working on an Omnibus survey to benchmark awareness of the Standards. It is hoped the turnaround on this will be quick as the measures mentioned in 4.8 above will already be raising awareness.

Review of the National Care Standards

4.12 It was agreed at the last meeting of the NCSC to set up a sub group to develop proposals for a system of review for the NCS. This group has now been set up, taking account of the Committee's suggestions for membership, outlined in para 5.10 of the minutes of the last meeting. The first meeting is scheduled to take place on 24 September in St Andrews House, Edinburgh.

4.13 SSSC were concerned that they had not been approached to be a member of the group after being suggested at the last meeting. Adam Rennie advised that the Executive did not want to overburden the group with statutory players but would be content for one of the Care Commission representatives to be substituted for a Council member. In light of this discussion, the revised membership of the working group is outlined at Annex A.

4.14 Some Committee members queried user representation. The SE assured members that user representation had been carefully considered. Help the Aged and Scottish Pre-School Play Association colleagues were approached to represent user interests on the group. Members were assured that the remit would include clear instructions that the users perspective was to be considered. Adam pointed out that the working group was only to develop proposals for review which would then be brought to the NCSC for discussion, at which time all organisations represented on the Committee would have an opportunity to comment.

4.15 It was agreed that NCSC members would be copied into all working group papers.

5. Staff Qualifications and the National Care Standards

5.1 The Committee was advised that the Sponsor branch had, as previously arranged, discussed the proposed change with policy colleagues. It was decided that changing the Standards was not the appropriate action to take. However, it was recognised that there was a potential for confusion and there was a need for clarification for providers. It was decided that this could be provided by issuing clear guidance about what was required. As such, Adam Rennie had written to both the Care Commission and SSSC with a draft explanation of how the staff qualifications and Standards requirements sit side by side for consideration. No comments had been received as yet but this would be discussed at a forthcoming meeting.

5.2 There were queries with regard to when staff qualifications would become a requirement for all staff. Val Cox explained that this would not be until 'Protection of Title' had been taken by the Council for the each staff group. This is likely to be quite a few years hence.

6. Future of the National Care Standards Committee

6.1 Paper 1 put forward a number of questions about the future of the current Committee in terms of membership, frequency of meetings and remit.

6.2 There was a general feeling amongst members that now was not the time to think about changing the membership or further considering the group's remit since there were items that were still ongoing. However, members did acknowledge that there had been a loss of momentum with regard to the Committee recently, reflected by the attendance at and cancellation of meetings. Members agreed that the frequency of meetings should be looked at and that they should only take place when there were substantive items to consider.

6.3 The Committee agreed that a work plan of upcoming work until summer 2005 would be helpful in providing a focus for the Committee. This would be issued to all NCSC members. Furthermore, it was agreed to revisit the dates of the meetings currently scheduled until summer 2005. Meetings would be rescheduled to coincide with major pieces of work so that there were substantive items for discussion. It was also recognised that not all the meetings scheduled at present would be required. A revised meeting schedule would be issued alongside the work plan.

6.4 There was discussion regarding the importance of user input. Members supported the idea of setting up a user reference/advisory group to sit alongside the NCSC to represent user interests. Members agreed that a low key NCSC presence on the group would be valuable. It was also suggested that the reference group could be used to feedback the views from other established user groups. The Committee agreed that such a group would be beneficial, particularly during the review stages. It was agreed that the forthcoming working group should look at ways to gain user input in the review process.

6.5 Adam stated that in response to Paper 1 he had already received offers of resignation from David Souter and Margaret Watt. Members wished to thank them for their work as part of the NCSC. Pek Yeong Berry stated that she would be stepping down at a suitable opportunity.

7. AOB

7.1 The Committee were informed that Sean Doohan would shortly be leaving for a year long career break. The Committee extended their appreciation for all the work Sean had done for the Committee.

8. Date of Next Meeting

8.1 The next meeting was scheduled for 25 October 2004, however, this may be revised in light of the proposed work plan and rescheduling of meetings. Members would be advised in due course.

ANNEX A

WORKING GROUP ON A SYSTEM FOR THE REVIEW OF THE NATIONAL CARE STANDARDS

* Only one Care Commission representative will attend each meeting of the group.