Before producing this resource, the SSSC and NHS Education for Scotland (NES) developed Promoting Excellence: a framework for all health and social services staff working with people with dementia, their families and carers. The launch of this framework in 2011, alongside the Standards of Care for Dementia in Scotland, fulfilled a pledge made by Scottish Government one year earlier in Scotland's first national Dementia Strategy 2010-2013. Since this launch the SSSC, NES and others have committed to a continued programme of support, using Promoting Excellence and the Dementia Standards as a blueprint and catalyst for change. The SSSC's ongoing role in Promoting Excellence focuses primarily on developing and broadening access to learning resources and programmes, whilst working with individuals and organisations to build capacity and effect meaningful changes in services and across the wider community. In this work, the Care Inspectorate is a key partner.

The Promoting Excellence framework and the Dementia Standards form the foundation of this and many other learning resources and programmes; produced and used by individuals and organisations seeking to achieve the change actions outlined in each of Scotland's national dementia strategies, and to ultimately improve the lives of people living with dementia, and their families and carers. You can find out more at the Promoting Excellence pages on the SSSC website.

Why should you use this resource?

Scottish Government legislation, policies and strategies indicate that all health and social service practice will need to increasingly impact on the support people with dementia receive. As an inspector, you will know that the scrutiny of services that support people with dementia must continue to focus on promoting people's rights, offering reassurance to the public and driving holistic and personalised improvement. This improvement should be focused around the outcomes people want and the supports they choose for themselves.

The key words embedded in current legislation, policies and strategies include integration of health and social care, self-directed support, carers, partnership and outcomes (both personal and national). For example, the Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2011 places responsibilities and duties on scrutiny bodies to work together to improve outcomes for people across health and social service settings. We will reflect the ethos and philosophy of current policy and practice in this resource in order to drive improved experiences for people with dementia, their families and carers throughout their journey. The three sections of this resource have been shaped by this context, as well as by the nature of inspection roles.

They are:

• Informing and promoting person centred,family oriented care and community connections
• Supporting health and wellbeing
• Promoting and protecting people's rights

To bring the perspective of people with dementia and their carers to this resource we have been gifted with personal expert accounts from members of the Scottish Dementia Working Group (SDWG) and the National Dementia Carers Action Network (NDCAN). They represent people living with dementia every day in Scotland. Some have a diagnosis of dementia and others are carers, people who enhance the quality of life of people with dementia. We have also included films of people who currently hold inspection, regulation and scrutiny roles and who have a great deal of experience to share about supporting providers to improve the way they work with people with dementia and those close to them. We are very grateful to each and every person involved for sharing their knowledge and experiences with us and helping you to understand the contribution you can make in promoting excellent practice and in improving the care journey for people with dementia, their families and carers.

We have also used short pieces of drama to provide examples of contact between inspectors, health and social service workers and people with dementia and carers. These examples are designed to be indicative of practice situations as opposed to demonstrators of excellence in practice. They are tools to allow you to consider a set of related questions.

The key resources highlighted within each section will support you to achieve the learning outcomes however should be regarded as minimum/recommended reading. We hope that you, as independent learners, will seek other sources from the vast range on offer.