Scottish Care Homes Census

Further information on the Scottish Care Census

Reasons for using Care Inspectorate eForms to collect this data

The Scottish Government are always looking at ways to improve the statistics that they collect. Using the Care Inspectorate eForms system will help ensure the data is kept secure, is more accurate, is more timely and is collected in a more efficient way.

More secure

The Care Inspectorate eForms system provides a much more secure route for returning data to the government. A username and password is required to access the data which is held in a secure environment. Data is transferred securely between the Care Inspectorate and the Scottish Government.

More accurate

Electronic returns allow checking of the information as it is input into the system, This saves time and resources in checking the data after it has been returned and means that you are less likely to receive a call asking questions about your data.

More timely

Previously most of the Care Home Census returns were completed on paper and returned via the postal service. They then had to be keyed in by a data keying agency before the Scottish Government received the data as a file. The eForms system provides a much quicker transfer of more accurate data.

More efficient

It is more efficient to use the Care Inspectorate eForms system, which is already collecting information from care homes, rather than commissioning a new system from another IT supplier. Care homes are already familiar with using the eForms system.

Giving another person user access to this eForm

If someone else needs to complete the return, the main eForms user in your service can set up additional eForms users, and will be able to limit access to the Scottish Government Census only.

To set up an additional user, the main user should select ‘User Management’ from the menu on the left hand side of the main eForms page, and then select ’Add’ at the bottom of the screen. They would then enter the details of the person to be added, and select the option to limit their access to Scottish Government care home census form only.

Resident information provided last year

If you completed the survey last year, then you should see a list of the client reference numbers you provided last year. Please check that all details for these residents are correct and update them as necessary.

How to access last year's census records following a change of management this year and issue of a new Care Inspectorate Service Number

Please call the Care Inspectorate Contact Centre on 0345 600 9527 as it may be possible to transfer last year's census information onto your new census eForm.

Returning the data

The results from this survey are used by the Scottish Government, Local Authorities, private and voluntary service providers, academics and members of the public to get a clear picture of care home provision across Scotland. The information is used to look at the scale of care home provision across the country and to plan for the future. If you do not return the data then we will make estimates for your care home (based on similar care homes) as to what your care home looks like.

Publication of statistics from the care home census

Each year Public Health Scotland (on behalf of the Scottish Government) publish a Statistics Release outlining the main findings from the census. A copy of the latest report is available on the PHS website

Care Inspectorate access to the data

The Care Inspectorate is the data gatherer of this information. The Care Inspectorate will not be looking at this data but will simply be transferring the data to the Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland statisticians for further checking, analysis and publication. The Care Inspectorate, the Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland have a data sharing agreement in place which sets out each of their respective roles.

Scottish Government's use of the information

The results from this survey are used by the Scottish Government, Local Authorities, private and voluntary service providers, academics and members of the public to get a clear picture of care home provision across Scotland and to plan for the future.

Reason for requesting names and full date of birth

This information will provide us with the possibility of linking the care home data with other health data, such as emergency admissions to hospital. Before any data linking takes place a full Data Protection Impact Assessment will have to be undertaken.

Depending on the Data Protection Impact Assessment and the scope of the project,  then projects will require the approval of the Public Benefit and Privacy Panel for Health and Social Care and/or the Public Benefit and Privacy Panel for Statistics .

Further information on why this is being asked for and what this data will be used for can be found on the Scottish Government website.

Access to personal details for Care Home residents

Only the Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland statisticians will have access to this information. Statisticians work according to the Code of Practice for Official Statistics. Under this code, the statisticians must ensure that when the statistics are published they do not reveal the identity of an individual or organisation or any private information relating to them. Neither your care home or any of your residents should be identifiable from the information published.

Only a few analytical and ICT staff at the Care Inspectorate will have access to this data in order to operate the eForms system, and pass data to the Scottish Government. Your usual contacts at the Care Inspectorate in the local offices will not have access to any of this information.