Question reference: S4W-00361
- Asked by: Kevin Stewart, MSP for Aberdeen Central, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 31 May 2011
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Current status: Answered by Michael Matheson on 9 June 2011
Question
To ask the Scottish Executive how much each NHS board has allocated to funding mental health advocacy services in each financial year since 1999.
Answer
There is a duty on NHS boards and local authorities under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 to secure the availability of independent advocacy services for people who have a mental health condition. Advocacy services are not funded centrally, these services may be secured by the NHS boards or local authorities through funding from their own allocations or by obtaining support from other sources.
Since 2005-06, overall funding for local authorities has included £13 million per year to help them implement the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003, of which advocacy is an important part. Similarly, £5 million per year has been made available to NHS boards to help them deliver the Act.