Health and Social Care - OU Community Online

Events over the last few weeks have highlighted unacceptably poor levels of care provided in some residential services by those trusted to care and support vulnerable people.

High calibre, skilled care workers are a must, not an optional extra. As Margo MacDonald MSP pointed out ("Margo Wants Care Qualifications", Evening News, 16 June), competence, skill and suitability to work in care are crucial. As a society, we cannot tolerate the maltreatment of those who are most in need of care and protection and the SSSC is here to help ensure that poor practice is addressed.

In Scotland, arrangements are already in place to ensure that all care staff are properly trained, assessed and qualified and by 2015, all care home workers will be legally required to be registered either with the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) or another workforce regulator.

As well as getting qualified, each worker must sign up to meet the SSSC Code of Practice for Social Service Workers as part of their registration which allows them to remain in this workforce. There are six Codes, each one setting out for workers exactly what is expected of their conduct and practice.

For example, Code 1 states that workers must protect the interests and rights of people who use services and carers. This means social service workers must treat people as individuals, respect and maintain their dignity and their individual views and wishes.

While the majority of staff do a good job often in difficult circumstances, let me be clear that failure to meet these standards and promote the interests of service users is unacceptable and may result in a worker being removed from the Register and from the social service workforce. Workers also have a responsibility to ensure that poor practice they may witness is highlighted so that steps can be taken to improve.

Employers, workers and the public can be assured that we can and do take action against any registered worker who fails to act appropriately and in the interests of the people who use social services. In 2010/11, 13 social service workers were deemed unsuitable to work in social services and removed from the SSSC Register.

Employers also have a critical role, set out in the SSSC Code of Practice for Employers for making sure they employ the right people with the right skills and values for the job.

You can find out more about the qualification requirements set for care workers, the Codes of Practice or any other aspect of the SSSC's work please go to www.sssc.uk.com

Garry Coutts
Convener
Scottish Social Services Council

Dear Sir

I read with interest your article entitled "This travesty of care shames us all", Sunday Herald, June 5. 

High quality care services, provided by high calibre, skilled workers are a must, not an optional extra, especially, as Ms Devine highlights, with the number of older people and those with dementia increasing and the demand for social services continuing to grow.

This vital work is carried out every day by nearly 200,000 social service workers in Scotland who provide care services from early years to older people. Social service workers work with the most vulnerable members of our communities and they have a duty to act appropriately at all times. The recent cases in Scotland and England are another poignant reminder that every one of us has a duty to raise our concerns if we are worried about the behaviour of a worker or the care of another.

As the workforce regulator and the Scottish partner in Skills for Care and Development, the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) is committed to driving up the quality of care that the people of Scotland receive from their social services.

Our first responsibility is to protect and enhance the safety and welfare of people who use services.  Each worker registered with us must abide by clear standards of conduct for workers so people who use care services and carers know what they can expect from their workers and how they should behave.

And while the majority work hard and often in difficult circumstances, we can and do take action against those who may fail to meet these standards. Concerns about the practice and behaviour of a worker must be reported to their employer straight away, who may then contact us and anyone can contact us directly on 0845 60 30 891 or at conduct@sssc.uk.com

Our recent sector skills assessment shows that the landscape for the social service workforce will indeed look very different in the coming years, as social services develop to recognise changing demographics, changing public expectations and a very different financial climate. People who use services want more choice, with more services delivered in their own homes and communities. Self-directed support is already starting to have an impact on the skills requirements and present challenges for employers and service providers as well as people who use services and carers.

We are working together with Scottish Government and the new scrutiny body, Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland to make sure that employers meet their responsibilities and services provide all of us with the very best standard and quality of care.

As a society, we cannot tolerate the maltreatment of those who are most in need of care and protection and the SSSC is here to help ensure that such poor practice is addressed.

Anna Fowlie
Chief Executive
Scottish Social Services Council