Sandy, Forth Valley Operations Manager, represented Carr Gomm in Brussels at the European Social Network Working Group Meeting on Quality in Social Services
In November, as part of our International Collaborations Global Ambassador Programme, Sandy, Forth Valley Operations Manager, was supported to attend the European Social Network Working Group Meeting on Quality in Social Services in Brussels, Belgium.
The event brought together people from health and social care organisations across Europe to discuss how policies can be developed and improved to enable more people to access high-quality social services.
Sandy shares his thoughts and reflections on the European Social Network Working Group:
Credit: European Social Network
I recently attended the European Social Network (ESN) Working Group Meeting on Quality in Social Services in Brussels, which brought together partners from across Europe working in health and social care policy, regulation, and service delivery.
The meeting provided a valuable opportunity to engage with European colleagues and exchange learning on approaches to quality in care and support. Discussions throughout the event highlighted the strength of Scotland’s legislative and policy frameworks, with many European partners looking to Scotland as an example of how robust legislation and regulation can support the delivery of consistently high‑quality, person‑centred services.
I was pleased to support the development of the European Quality Framework for Social Services by sharing evidence of how quality is embedded within the Scottish system. This included outlining the practical application of the Health and Social Care Standards, how these link to regulation and scrutiny through the Care Inspectorate, and how they create a shared understanding of what good care and support looks like in practice.
Credit: European Social Network
A key part of my contribution focused on self‑evaluation and continuous quality improvement, demonstrating how services in Scotland are supported to reflect on delivery, use evidence meaningfully, and take a structured approach to improvement that drives excellence rather than mere compliance.
I also shared insight into Carr Gomm’s approach to quality assurance, highlighting how our quality approach is intentionally designed to be highly reflective of our organisational values. These values were co‑designed with the people we support, ensuring that quality is defined not only by regulatory requirements but by what truly matters to individuals using our services.
At Carr Gomm, our approach to quality is used as a tool to align regulatory compliance, social purpose, and organisational culture. This ensures that services do not focus solely on meeting external standards, but on delivering support that is compassionate, relational, and values‑led. By embedding our values within our quality frameworks, we create a shared understanding across the organisation of how quality should be experienced by people receiving support.
Credit: European Social Network
This approach enables Carr Gomm to evidence compliance while also maintaining a strong focus on continuous improvement, ensuring that service delivery remains closely aligned with our mission, culture, and commitment to enabling people to live the best lives possible.
Overall, the meeting reinforced the importance of international collaboration and shared learning in strengthening quality across health and social care systems. It also underlined Scotland’s leadership role — and the contribution of Scottish providers such as Carr Gomm — in shaping quality frameworks that support excellence in care and support across Europe.
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