Social care supports people with daily living so they can be as independent as possible.
It can also help people who look after a family member or loved one, like an unpaid carer.
We are improving how community health and social care support is accessed and provided in Scotland.
Actions
We are:
- establishing a National Care Service for the delivery of consistent and high standards in health and social care services
- working to protect and support adults at risk of being harmed
- ensuring that adults with incapacity legislation, policy and practice is reviewed and current practice is improved and effective
- improving support for unpaid carers
- sponsoring the Care Inspectorate and Health Improvement Scotland to regulate and improve health and social care support
- improving the lives of those living with autism and/or a learning disability
- improving the lives of people living with dementia, their families and carers as set out in our New dementia strategy for Scotland: Everyone's Story (May 2023)
We have also:
-
developed guidance for adult care homes on vitamin D supplements for residents (December 2023) which was published on the Care Inspectorate website
- published our healthcare framework for adults living in care homes (June 2022)
- published our health and social care standards (June 2017) setting out what people should expect when accessing care and support
- set up the Health and Social Care Data Board to oversee implementation of the Data Strategy for Health and Social Care which sets out how technology can support person-centred care
- published our self-directed support improvement plan (June 2023) as well as our self-directed support framework of standards (May 2024) which gives local authorities guidance on implementing the self-directed support approach to social care
-
committed to provide support for independent living through the Independent Living Fund
Public information on care and caring is on the mygov.scot website.
Background
National Care Service
We’re improving community health and social care support in Scotland. We want everyone to have access to consistently high-quality support, whenever they might need it.
That is why we’re introducing the National Care Service (NCS). It is being shaped by people who have experience of accessing and delivering social care support.
Find out more about the National Care Service.
Health and Social Care delivery plan
We published our Health and Social Care delivery plan in December 2016. This set out actions for government and local health and care to better deliver patient care and support for people and better population health.
We established a National Programme Board to oversee delivery of the plan.
Healthcare quality
We produced our Healthcare Quality Strategy for Scotland in May 2010.
Effective Voice and Social Care
The Effective Voice Framework was developed with key stakeholders to give social care workers genuine, meaningful opportunities to be heard at work. It helps them shape decisions, raise concerns and influence their working conditions. It is a vital part of delivering Fair Work across Scotland's social care sector.
We commissioned an independent evaluation of the Framework, hosted by Inspiring Scotland, to test how well it supports organisations and their staff to understand best practice in Effective Voice and strengthen worker voice in practice. A cohort of social care providers took part in the one-year project, with findings gathered from providers and frontline workers through surveys, focus groups, and interviews.
Read the full 2025 evaluation report, include findings and recommendations on the Inspiring Scotland website.
Bills and legislation
Regulation
The Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 created two new regulatory bodies:
- The Care Inspectorate (CI) is the national regulator for care in Scotland.
- Healthcare Improvement Scotland (HIS) supports our healthcare priorities, in particular those of NHSScotland’s Healthcare Quality Strategy and the 2020 Vision.
Health and social care integration
The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 sets the framework for integrating adult health and social care support. Integrated care leads to improvements in the quality and consistency of health and social care. There are 31 integration authorities in Scotland who are required to work with local communities and providers of care to ensure care is responsive to people’s needs.
The Public Bodies (Joint Working) (National Health and Wellbeing Outcomes) (Scotland) Regulations 2014 require each integration authority to publish an annual performance report showing how they are improving the National Health and Wellbeing outcomes.
Background information about the development of integration is available in our website archive.
The Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 introduced free personal care for adults, regardless of income or whether they live at home or in residential care.
Carers (Scotland) Act 2016
The Carers (Scotland) Act 2016 puts in place a system of carers’ rights. We have produced a list of regulations and statutory instruments supporting the Act.
Adult support and protection
The Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 requires councils and a range of public bodies to work together to support and protect adults who are unable to safeguard themselves, their property and their rights.
Adults with incapacity
The Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 protects adults (people aged 16 or over) who lack capacity to take some or all decisions for themselves because of a mental disorder or an inability to communicate. It allows a person - such as a relative, friend or partner - to make decisions on someone's behalf.
We published the following guidance on the Act:
- Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000: principles
- Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000: a short guide to the Act (website archive)
- Adults with Incapacity: forms and guidance (includes codes of practice for different parts of the Act)
Self-directed support
The Social Care (Self-directed Support) (Scotland) Act 2013 places a duty on local authority social work departments to offer people who are eligible for social care a range of choices over how they receive their support. Read more about self-directed support.
Assisted communication support
The Health (Tobacco, Nicotine etc. and Care)(Scotland) Act 2016 includes communication equipment and support legislation which places a duty on health boards to provide or secure the provision of communication equipment, and the support in using that equipment, to any person (children and adults) who has lost their voice or has difficulty speaking.
Mental health legislative review
We reviewed the adults support and protection legislation alongside mental health and adults with incapacity law. Read more information about this review.
Contact
Email: ceu@gov.scot (Central Enquiry Unit)