"Staff make a massive difference" - Commission publishes latest local visit reports
Publication date: 17 Apr, 2024
The Mental Welfare Commission today published 11 new reports following visits to mental health and learning disability services and prisons 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:
“This month’s reports cover a wide variety of NHS services for people with mental ill health or learning disability; from secure hospital or prison settings, from acute assessment wards to the Commission’s first published visit to a community service for people with learning disabilities.
“Even though the settings varied, one thing we found in common on every one of these visits were the positive comments about staff.
“People were keen to tell us just how much they appreciated the health and care professionals who delivered their care. We were told that people who were unwell felt valued and respected by staff; we heard that ‘staff make a massive difference’, and from families that they were ‘so grateful for the service. I am glad they are here for my relative; they are absolutely tremendous’”.
“In these times of extraordinary pressures on health and social care services, including regular staff shortages, we want to highlight this finding. Positive and supportive attitudes from staff are a vital part of care, and it is heartening to hear about the clear evidence of this in practice.”
The reports are for: