Publications

This report examined placements of people from Scotland with mental ill health or learning disability outwith their NHS health board area.

This report from 2022 reflected on the key messages highlighted in our prison themed visit report of 2011. Ten years on, we wanted to learn about how practice had evolved, whether the intended improvements linked to the transfer of health care responsibility from the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to NHS Scotland had had a meaningful impact and we aimed to highlight and respond to any other issues identified and raised with us. It was also necessary to understand the unprecedented impact of the Covid-19 global pandemic and its effect on prisoners and their care and treatment in custody.

The purpose of this closure report on our publication Racial inequality and mental health in Scotland: a call to action is to assess whether the Commission has achieved its objectives (including outcomes, learning, quality and impact) and completed all deliverables on time and as planned, and summarises the findings and recommendations made in the report and identify the organisations and individuals to whom the recommendations were made.

This is the closure report for our September 2021 themed report on care and treatment with alcohol-related brain damage in Scotland. The Commission has long standing concerns about the availability of specialist support for people with a diagnosis of alcohol related brain damage (ARBD).

Care, treatment and support for people with mental ill health and problem substance use in Scotland

This report reflects on the key messages highlighted in our prison themed visit report of 2011. Ten years on, we wanted to learn about how practice had evolved, whether the intended improvements linked to the transfer of health care responsibility from the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to NHS Scotland had had a meaningful impact and we aimed to highlight and respond to any other issues identified and raised with us. It was also necessary to understand the unprecedented impact of the Covid-19 global pandemic and its effect on prisoners and their care and treatment in custody.

We wanted to explore how well Scotland’s mental health sector performs in relation to racial equality.

To address this we looked at six themes: ethnicity and detention under the Mental Health Act; the views of people with lived experience; the experience and training of Scotland’s mental health services workforce; racial equality in that workforce; and recording and reporting of ethnicity across mental health services; including in the Commission’s own work.

The pathway to a diagnosis of ARBD, and to getting specialist support to meet individual needs and outcomes, can be challenging and complex – both for the person affected and for those people important and close to them.

Executive summary of our report on a series of visits looking at care, treatment and support for people with eating disorders in Scotland.

A report on a series of visits by the Mental Welfare Commission looking at care, treatment and support for people with eating disorders in Scotland

As part of our eating disorders themed visit in 2020, we gathered information about services developed for individuals with eating disorders across Scotland. We are aware from our work that services that look after individuals with eating disorders are very varied across the country. 

Report on a series of visits carried out by the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland to people admitted to wards for older people with functional mental illness in Scotland 2019.

In this visit we focused specifically on NHS in-patients in rehabilitation services. The function of a specialist inpatient rehabilitation service is to help patients gain or regain the skills and confidence needed to progress their recovery.

This is the first time that the Commission has undertaken a themed visit specifically looking at support for autistic people.

This is the executive summary of the first themed visit undertaken by the Commission that specifically looks at support for autistic people.

Our report looking at the experience of people with the diagnosis, families and services in Scotland.

Our report on police use of place of safety orders in Scotland.

Our report following a series of visits to all medium and low secure forensic wards in Scotland.

Our report on homelessness and mental ill health, based on the findings of a small-scale study we conducted in 2016-17.

Our monitoring report looking at how Police Scotland use their power to detain people in a public place of safety under the Mental Health Act.

Our report following a series of announced visits carried out by the Mental Welfare Commission to all adult mental health admission wards in Scotland in 2016.

In this themed visit we interviewed 59 people who were living in the community, and were receiving care, treatment and support from community mental health services.

This is the first study the Commission has carried out into perinatal mental health care in Scotland. In this themed visit, we focus mainly on the care of women with severe postnatal mental illness who require admission to hospital.

Perinatal themed visits: results of consultants' survey

Our report following a series of announced and unannounced visits to all intensive psychiatric care units in Scotland during 2015.

We visited all 18 hospital units for people with learning disability (excluding forensic units) from August to October 2015. This is a summary of our findings and concerns.

A summary of our findings and recommendations from our visits to people on Community Compulsory Treatment Orders (CCTOs) in 2015.

This report details what we found when we visited the twenty four NHS wards providing acute assessment for older people with functional mental illness in Scotland.

Our report on unannounced visits to patients on enhanced levels of observation in psychiatric hospitals in Scotland in 2014/2015.

Summary of key findings from collaborative work between the Care Inspectorate and the Mental Welfare Commission - secure services for children.

The Commission and the Care Inspectorate visited young people in Scottish secure care settings, who had identified mental health difficulties, and who may be supported or referred for assessment to specialist Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). The visits were completed in early 2014.

Our report on our recent monitoring visits to people who are subject to specified person restrictions under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

In May 2009, the Mental Welfare Commission (MWC) reported on a survey of Recorded Matters made between October 2005 and December 2008.

An exploratory study into the views of named persons under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Our report on our visits to dementia continuing care wards.

Our report on our visits to women with mental health issues in prison or hospital who were detained by the criminal courts.

We were asked how many people died while subject to compulsory treatment. here is our answer and our analysis of the causes of death.

An easyread report on our visits to people with intensive support packages in the community.

Our report on individuals whose first formal contact with mental health services was through the Criminal Procedures (Scotland) Act 1995.

Our report on our visits to people with learning disability who receive intensive support in the community. This also includes good practice sample support plans.

We commissioned a report into the rights of individuals who are receiving mental health care.

A report on compulsion orders that are revoked before they are reviewed by the tribunal.

A report on our visits to care homes and hospitals to monitor use of section 47 certificates.

An analysis of emergency detention certificates that were revoked by approved medical practitioners, compiled by Mira Thomas and Karthik Bommu.

A report on the outcomes of our visits to every adult acute ward in Scotland in 2012.

A report into awareness of section 278 of the Mental Health Act, which places a duty on services to consider the effect of compulsory treatment on parental relations.

A report into the use of detention certificates for people who are already in hospital.

A report into the incidence of immediate re-detentions under short term detention certificates, particularly where a compulsory treatment order was refused by the Tribunal.

Our visits and telephone interviews with individuals and carers who have had contact with Intensive Home Treatment Services and the service providers, October 2011-February 2012. Amended March 2013.

Themed visit to hospital units for the assessment and treatment of people with learning disabilities.

The Mental Health tribunal considers all applications for long term (more than 28 days) compulsory treatment and hears appeals. We met with service users who have experience of tribunals to find out more about their views.

Themed visit report on the support and treatment that prisoners with a mental disorder receive in the Scottish Prison Service.

Monitoring report looking at people subject to compulsory treatment orders with community powers.

Themed visit report looking at people with dementia in general hospitals. Visits took place across Scotland during September and December 2010.

This report reflects our findings from a programme of visits that took place across Scotland between April and July 2011 to individuals with severe and enduring mental illness in rehabilitation and continuing care wards based in psychiatric hospitals across Scotland.

Themed visit report to people with learning disabilities living in care homes which are registered with the Care Commission as having more than 20 living places.

Report from our visits to people given compulsory mental health care after committing an offence in Scotland (July 2009 to March 2010).

Report from our monitoring of Adults with Incapacity Act 2000.

Monitoring report on unannounced visits to people receiving treatment under the safeguards of part 16 of the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003.

Themed visit report reflecting our findings from a programme of visits to adult acute mental health wards across Scotland.

Themed visit report following visits to people with acquired brain injury and alcohol related brain damaged living in hospitals, care homes and community based settings.

Monitoring report from visits to one in five people receiving short-term compulsory care and treatment in Scotland.

Mental Welfare Commission and Care Commission joint report on the quality of care for people with dementia living in care homes in Scotland.

Themed visit report looking at older people receiving care and treatment in psychiatric admission wards in Scotland.

Themed visit report looking at children and young people who were receiving mental health care and treatment in services across Scotland over a 3 month period on 2009.

Themed visit report revisiting people with severe and enduring mental illness who are receiving care and treatment in hospital.

Monitoring report on the use of welfare guardianship under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 for people aged under 25.

Report from our visits to people receiving care and treatment in forensic mental health services across Scotland.

Themed visit report following visit to NHS and private facilities for people with a learning disability.

Report from our unannounced visits to NHS wards providing continuing care for dementia patients in Scotland.

Our impressions of mental health acute admissions wards in Scotland.

Themed visit report aiming to contribute to awareness and debate of issues affecting black and minority ethnic service users.

Themed visit report to continuing care facilities for people with severe and enduring mental illness (unannounced).