Essential criteria

Qualifications and registration

To become an inspector, you must be registered with or able to register, and hold a qualification that meets the registration requirements of, one of the following regulatory bodies:

• Social Social Services Council (SSSC)
• General Teaching Council (Scotland) (GTC)
• Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) 
• General Medical Council (GMC) Health and Care Professions Council (applies to the following roles only: occupational therapists, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists and practitioner psychologists)
• Other equivalent professional bodies for the UK nations

Inspectors eligible to apply for registration with the SSSC must hold a suitable practice qualification at SCQF level. For more information on the list of suitable qualifications please see our recruitment web pages.

Inspectors must also hold or undertake an appropriate regulator's award from the list below:

• Regulation of Care Award
• PDA Scrutiny and Improvement Practice (Social Services) SCQF level 10

Experience

• Senior professional experience, expertise and knowledge of adult social care or health care, early learning and childcare or children and young people sectors and
• Experience of lead responsibility for complex professional practice through case management, managing people, projects or resources.

Skills

• Ability to use evidence and knowledge to provide accurate, expert, insightful professional advice and judgements, which are based on clear and incisive thinking.
• Ability to identify priorities and gather and analyse evidence to evaluate options before arriving at well-reasoned, justifiable decisions.
• Ability to weigh up complex and conflicting evidence, reach robust judgements and record these.
• Ability to communicate clearly, convincingly and succinctly to different audiences, verbally, in writing and virtually.
• Stakeholder engagement skills and ability to build relationships with people at all levels of seniority.
• IT literate with a thorough understanding of Microsoft Office.

Key performance outcomes/competencies

Supporting and co-operating

• Supports others and shows respect and positive regard
• Puts people first, working effectively with individuals, teams and people who use care services
• Behaves consistently with clear personal values and relevant professional standards of practice that complement those of the organisation
• Understands the limits of their knowledge and experience and when decisions need to be referred to others.

Interacting and presenting

• Communicates clearly and networks effectively, projecting credibility
• Establishes good relationships and relates to others in a confident and relaxed manner
• Considers Care Inspectorate values in relation to the impact of their decisions
• Considers the wider context in which the Care Inspectorate operates.

Analysing and interpreting

• Demonstrates analytical and systematic approach to problem solving
• Gets to the heart of complex problems and issues
• Applies own expertise effectively
• Quickly learns and embraces new technology
• Excellent written communication skills.

Creating and conceptualising

• Open to new ideas and experience
• Seeks out learning opportunities
• Handles situations and problems with innovation and creativity
• Thinks broadly and strategically
• Supports and drives organisational change
• Contributes to the development of operational processes and systems
• Ability to use knowledge and experience to gather and consolidate information to make appropriate improvements
• Applies rules and procedures sensibly and understands where flexibility is required.

Organising and executing

• Plans ahead and works in a systematic and organised way
• Follows directions and procedures
• Focuses on service user satisfaction and delivers a quality service to the expected standards
• Ability to work flexibly in response to changing priorities and to prioritise conflicting demands
• Ability to plan workload effectively in the short, medium and long term in conjunction with their line manager and work to strict deadlines
• Ability to show initiative and work independently without close supervision.

Adapting and coping

• Adapts and responds positively to change
• Manages pressure effectively and copes with setbacks
• Ability to adapt communication to suit different audiences.

The Care Inspectorate expects that all its employees, who can be, are registered and maintain an active registration with their relevant registering body throughout the duration of employment with the Care Inspectorate.  

You will be required to maintain all necessary professional registration as required by the Professional Registration Policy - adherence to this policy is imperative.