P ART 1 5 T HE N ATIONAL C ARE S ERVICE C HAPTER 1 T HE PRINCIPLES AND INSTITUTIONS OF THE N ATIONAL C ARE S ERVICE Principles 1 The National Care Service principles 10 The National Care Service principles are— 1 (a) the services provided by the National Care Service are to be regarded as an investment in society that— (i) is essential to the realisation of human rights, (ii) enables people to thrive and fulfil their potential, and 15 (iii) enables communities to flourish and prosper, (b) for them to be such an investment, the services provided by the National Care Service must be financially stable in order to give people long-term security, (c) services provided by the National Care Service are to be centred around early interventions that prevent or delay the development of care needs and reduce care 20 needs that already exist, (d) services provided by the National Care Service are to be designed collaboratively with the people to whom they are provided and their carers, (e) opportunities are to be sought to continuously improve the services provided by the National Care Service in ways which— 25 (i) promote the dignity of the individual, and (ii) advance equality and non-discrimination, SP Bill 17 Session 6 (2022) 2 National Care Service (Scotland) Bill Part 1—The National Care Service Chapter 1—The principles and institutions of the National Care Service (f) the National Care Service, and those providing services on its behalf, are to communicate with people in an inclusive way, which means ensuring that individuals who have difficulty communicating (in relation to speech, language or otherwise) can receive information and express themselves in ways that best 5 meet their individual needs, (g) the National Care Service is to be an exemplar in its approach to fair work for the people who work for it and on its behalf, ensuring that they are recognised and valued for the critically important work that they do.