Anne's Law draft regulations: consultation report

Stakeholder Engagement Meetings

As well as gathering views through the survey, care home visits and written submissions, the Scottish Government held a series of stakeholder meetings to explore the draft regulations in more depth. These meetings brought together relatives of care home residents, care home providers, advocacy organisations, professional bodies and operational partners to discuss how the proposals might work in practice. Although not part of the formal consultation responses, the discussions provided useful insight into the practical, emotional and operational issues that stakeholders felt were most important.

Broad support for the aim of Anne’s Law

Stakeholders consistently supported the purpose of the regulations and the intention to protect residents’ rights to maintain meaningful contact. There was clear recognition of the emotional, psychological and physical benefits of regular contact with loved ones, particularly for people living with dementia or other long-term conditions.

Many stakeholders described the distress caused by past visiting restrictions and expressed appreciation that the regulations seek to prevent similar harm in future.

Importance of clear and workable processes

A recurring theme was the need for processes that are easy for care homes to implement and easy for residents and families to understand. Stakeholders emphasised:

• the importance of clarity in roles and responsibilities
• the need for straightforward procedures that reduce confusion
• the value of accessible guidance to support consistent practice

Stakeholders noted that without clear expectations and templates, implementation may vary between providers.

Consistency across care homes

Stakeholders stressed that the regulations should lead to more consistent practice across Scotland. They described variation in how care homes currently manage visiting, communication and decision-making, and noted that some families feel more involved than others. Stakeholders emphasised the value of setting national standards so residents’ rights are upheld regardless of where they live.

Communication and transparency

Strong communication between care home staff, residents and families was viewed as essential to making the regulations work. Stakeholders stressed that families should understand:

• how decisions are made
• who to speak to if they have questions
• what happens if circumstances change
• what their role is within the process

Stakeholders highlighted that clear, regular and timely communication can help avoid misunderstandings and build trust.

Workforce capacity and implementation pressures

Some stakeholders felt that while the regulations were welcome, practical implementation could create additional pressure for already stretched teams. They noted that:

• staff may require training on new processes
• documentation and review cycles will take time
• clearer national templates would reduce administrative burden

Despite these concerns, stakeholders emphasised that the regulations would be easier to deliver with strong guidance and tools from the outset.

The value of relationships and person-centred approaches

A consistent theme across all meetings was the recognition that meaningful relationships are central to good care. Stakeholders emphasised that implementation should focus on:

• the resident’s preferences
• individuality and lived experience
• flexibility to accommodate different family structures
• ensuring that decisions reflect what matters most to each person

This aligned strongly with the lived experience insights from care home visits.

Summary

The stakeholder meetings reinforced many of the themes emerging from the survey and care home visits, particularly around clarity, consistency, communication and the importance of meaningful connection to care home residents.

These meetings provided qualitative insights into how the draft regulations may work in practice, the support that staff and families may need, and where clear national guidance could help ensure consistent and person-centred implementation across Scotland.