Commission publishes new local visit reports - 16 October 2024
Publication date: 16 Oct, 2024
The Mental Welfare Commission today published 13 new reports following visits to mental health services and prisons in Scotland.
Every year the Commission visits around 150 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:
“In this month’s reports we again see the importance of maintaining staffing levels to match the capacity of each ward or unit. Where there are shortfalls, specialised individual care becomes harder to provide.
“We visited wards or units where the care and treatment were very good, but there was sometimes a lack of structured activities for those being cared for. There is a great deal of value in providing purposeful and creative experiences with a goal of helping people become well enough to leave hospital. Having someone on staff to co-ordinate therapeutic activities, and record patients’ involvement, provides many extra benefits.”
The reports are for: