Mental Welfare Commission looking to build on good practice in 2024 for the care and treatment for people with mental ill health - standards of care should be more consistent
Publication date: 20 Dec, 2023
The Mental Welfare Commission today published 15 new reports following visits to mental health and learning disability services in Scotland.
Every year the Commission visits around 100 wards and units for people with mental ill health, learning disability, dementia or related conditions in Scotland. From this year, these visits are being extended to community mental health teams.
During the visits Commission visitors talk to patients, relatives and staff, and examine records. A report is published after each visit. The Commission expects a response to each of its recommendations within three months of the reports being published.
Today’s reports highlight positive findings, aspects of care and treatment where we think the service could do better, and making recommendations for change where necessary.
Claire Lamza, executive director (nursing), Mental Welfare Commission, said:
"As we publish the last of our reports of 2023 on visits to wards, units, and community mental health services, we are struck by how varied those reports are.
“The main focus of our visits is to talk to individuals, relatives and staff. We examine records, making sure what we are told is confirmed by documentation.
“This month’s reports once again show considerable variation in quality of care and treatment, services and environment. There is lack of consistency; we find similar services sometimes operating very well for the benefit of patients and staff alike, and others where we find areas of concern.
“We end the year by calling for standards to be unified, and good practice to be shared and followed across the country. We really hope to see progress in 2024, and meantime ask services to read and share our reports, learning from them where they can.”
The reports are for: