What are the health and social care standards?
Scotland’s Health and Social Care Standards set out what good care should feel like for you. They are based on human rights, dignity, and wellbeing, and describe the experience you should have when receiving any form of care or support. They focus on outcomes, so the care you receive is flexible and centred around your needs and choices.
Every care service must follow these principles:
Dignity and respect
You should always be treated as an individual, with your privacy, choices, and human rights respected. Discrimination should never be part of your experience.
Compassion
Staff should be warm, kind, and understanding. They should take time to get to know your needs, wishes, and feelings.
Be included
You have the right information at the right time, in a way you understand. Your views are included in decisions about your care, and your feedback helps shape the service.
Responsive care and support
Your care should adapt as your needs change. You should get the right help at the right time, provided consistently and safely.
Wellbeing
You should be supported to live life fully, pursue your interests, maintain your independence, and feel safe and protected from harm.
The Standards are grouped into five areas that describe what you should experience:
High-quality care and support that is right for you
Being fully involved in decisions
Confidence in the people who support you
Confidence in the organisation
A high‑quality environment
The Care Inspectorate (and for health services, Healthcare Improvement Scotland) check that services meet these Standards. If a service falls short, we can make recommendations, require improvements, or take enforcement action.