Learning reviews, Initial Case Reviews (ICRS) & Significant Case Reviews (SCRS) – Adults

Initial Case Reviews and Significant Case Reviews

National Guidance for Adult Protection Committees Undertaking Learning Reviews was published on 26 May 2022. This sets out that Adult Protection Committees will inform the Care Inspectorate of the decision to proceed with a learning review, or the reasons for not doing so. On completion of a learning review, an anonymised copy of the review report should be sent to us, and a notification of completion submitted.

There will be reviews ongoing that pre-date 26 May 2022. As such, there will be an overlap in submission of learning reviews and of Initial and Signficant Case Reviews which commenced on or after 5 November 2019, and before 26 May 2022.

For the foreseeable future we will accept all reviews, regardless of their structure.

The relevant online notification system for learning reviews, ICRs and SCRs should be used for all submissions. The forms have in built prompts and guidance to support completion.

Please note online submissions require to be completed in one sitting – they cannot be saved when partially completed and then returned to. There is work ongoing to develop this system.

Learning Reviews

For all situations considered under the learning review guidance, a decision notification form should be completed. This electronic notification form is to be completed at the point when a decision has been made to conduct a learning review, or to detail the reasons for not doing so.

A word version of the notification form has been provided here. This could be used to develop the submission, and then be copied into the online version.

Learning review decision notifications should be submitted here: learning review decision notification.

On conclusion of the learning review, an outcome notification form should be completed within seven days of ratification of the outcome of the learning review by the Chief Officers Group.

A word version of the learning outcome notification form has been provided here. This could be used to develop the responses, and then be copied into the online version.

The learning review outcome notification should be submitted here: learning review outcome notification.

Following completion of the learning review outcome notification, an anonymised copy of the learning review report should be sent via secure email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

ICR and SCR

A word version of the ICR notification has been provided here. This could be used to develop the responses, and then be copied into the online version.

Adult Protection Committees should note the word version is to support the development of the submission. The submission should however be returned through the online tool.

Adult Protection Committees are required to submit the full ICR report to the Care Inspectorate along with the completed ‘Form B’ (ICR notification) within seven days of ratification of the outcome of the ICR by the Chief Officers Group.

The ICR notification should be submitted here: ICR notification.

The Care Inspectorate, on behalf of Scottish Government, acts as a central collation point for all Significant Case Reviews completed across Scotland at the point at which they are concluded. Further to agreeing the Final Report, in accordance with the steps detailed in The Guidance (2019), Adult Protection Committees should timeously agree a dissemination approach, including submission to the Care Inspectorate.

A word version of the SCR notification has been provided here. This could be used to develop the responses, and then be copied into the online version.

SCR notifications should be submitted here: SCR Reporting Form.

Adult Protection Committees can request to receive a pdf version of the information they submit via the online submission mechanism.

The Care Inspectorate is the central repository for all ICRs and SCRs as a way of supporting learning from these reviews to be shared and implemented more widely. As such, it is important that all reviews that are similar in purpose though not labelled as an ICR, SCR are also submitted.

Following completion of the ICR or SCR, an anonymised copy of the ICR and SCR report as applicable should be sent to us via secure email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

The main contact for this work is:

Caroline Doherty, Strategic Inspector

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.