The Care Inspectorate and Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland will inspect adult support and protection services in a number of partnership areas across Scotland. Healthcare Improvement Scotland will also be involved in this exercise. This work will start in September 2017. This is the first time any of the Scottish scrutiny bodies have scrutinised adult support and protection. The adult protection partnerships selected for scrutiny reflect the diverse geography and demography of Scotland. These partnerships were formally notified on 20 July 2017. The partnerships selected for a joint inspection of their adult support and protection arrangements are:

• East Dunbartonshire
• North Ayrshire
• Aberdeenshire
• Highland
• Dundee
• Midlothian

During our scrutiny of the partnerships, we will:

• read and analyse adult support and protection records and carry out scrutiny sessions in the partnerships
• examine adult protection referrals as part of our analysis of advanced information
• engage with people who are subject to adult protection interventions and their carers, so that their lived experience will be central to our inspection.

We will publish a report of our findings early in 2018. Our scrutiny will focus on outcomes for adults at risk of harm, the partnership’s actions to make sure adults at risk of harm are safe, protected, supported, involved, and consulted, as well as leadership for adult support and protection.

Ten years after the passing of the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007, the feedback from colleagues involved in adult support and protection is that they broadly welcome and support the planned scrutiny. We are confident that this scrutiny will deliver significant added value, assurance, and insight into the work undertaken by partnerships to make adults at risk of harm safe, protect them, and support them.

Karen Reid, Care Inspectorate Chief Executive, said “The Care Inspectorate is privileged to lead on this first ever thematic scrutiny of adult support and protection in Scotland. We will work alongside Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland and Healthcare Improvement Scotland to deliver the maximum possible public assurance that adults at risk of harm are safe, protected and well supported”.

Derek Penman, HM Chief Inspector of Constabulary in Scotland, said “Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary in Scotland is pleased to work alongside the Care Inspectorate and Health Improvement Scotland on this first ever thematic scrutiny of adult support and protection in Scotland. HMICS aims to add value and strengthen public confidence in Scottish policing and this joint scrutiny work will help us to support Police Scotland to deliver adult support and protection services that are high quality, continually improving and effective.”