Quality Improvement Framework resources

The principle that we learn from failure is important to learning and improving, and is a central reflection point when thinking about risk. However, the fear of failure remains strongly embedded in social care culture. When thinking about risk and risk assessment in Adult Support and Protection, over-cautious practice may reduce creativity and innovation. It may even act as a barrier to promoting outcomes that an adult at risk wants. This resource encourages thinking about risk in a holistic way, including considering the risk inherent in maintaining the status quo.

This resource, from the Adult Protection Shared Learning Initiative, presents a set of formats and standards intended to be used as part of a broader assessment and care planning process. The document begins with explanatory notes concerning those formats, which were developed from detailed work involving social work, health, police services and voluntary organisations. All adult care groups (older people, physical disability, learning disability, mental health, and substance use) are represented in the project work, which also drew on child protection and criminal justice experience.

Chronologies are of central importance to Adult Support and Protection. In this guide, the following nine key characteristics of a chronology are explored.

Chronologies should:

This 3-step improvement framework was developed to help unlock lasting improvement across public services in Scotland. The framework is designed to prompt self-assessment and debate. It is about getting started and ‘doing’: creating conditions for and implementing the improvements that will make a difference. It is a clear structure that can be used by social care, health, and third sector organisations.

This framework sets out evidence of high-quality, safe, and effective services that promote the protection of children and adults. The evidence included in this framework reflects key recent policy and practice developments. This framework is intended to guide Health Boards in assessing their public protection arrangements at both strategic and operational levels. The aim is to ensure greater consistency in what people can expect in terms of support and protection from health services in Scotland.

These Health and Social Care Standards set out what everyone should expect when using health, social care or social work services in Scotland. They seek to provide better outcomes for everyone; to ensure that individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and that the basic human rights we are all entitled to are upheld.

The headline outcomes are:

1: I experience high quality care and support that is right for me.

2: I am fully involved in all decisions about my care and support.

3: I have confidence in the people who support and care for me.

Section 42 of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 states that each council must establish an Adult Protection Committee (APC). This revised guidance supports Adult Protection Committees to meet their statutory duties. It covers all aspects of APCs, including establishment, membership, responsibilities, and quality assurance.

Joint inspection reports provide independent scrutiny and assurance of how partnerships ensure that adults at risk of harm are kept safe, protected, and supported. This is an interim report (from 2022) and can be read in conjunction with the full report (from 2023).

Joint inspection reports provide independent scrutiny and assurance of how partnerships ensure that adults at risk of harm are kept safe, protected, and supported. This overview report summarises the inspection findings of 25 Adult Support and Protection partnerships. It shares 'success factors' - good practice that means many adults at risk of harm are safer and have enhanced wellbeing.

This revised Code of Practice provides information and detail to support practical application of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007. It aims to reflect the developments in policy, practice and legislation both in the overall context of adult support and protection and in day-to-day activity.