Chamber and committees

Our mental health legislation is based on rights and principles and offers protection for patients where compulsory treatment is necessary. Any increase in compulsory treatments may represent the effects of more people coming forward for treatment and increased awareness and response to mental ill health. It’s also important to note that the largest proportion of people subject to compulsion are for short-term orders rather than long-term orders.

We are making significant investment in the range of mental health support available, which will see issues tackled earlier and where possible in the community, while ensuring speedier access to specialist care for those who need it. We will continue to work with the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland and stakeholders both to ensure these orders are used correctly, and to promote patients’ rights more generally.

Scottish Ministers recently announced the appointment of John Scott QC as Chair of the review.

We have been clear that it is for the Chair to determine how the review work will be taken forward. However, this will include appointing a review group whose remit will include agreeing the terms of reference, ensuring each stage of the process has an engagement strategy which is not only transparent but also affords the opportunity to gather as wide-ranging views as possible by engaging people with real experiences, service users, carers and professionals, as well as those with a more academic interest.

We have also publically stated that the principal aim of the review is to improve the rights and protections of persons with a mental disorder and remove barriers to those caring for their health and welfare. The Chair will therefore provide leadership which will deliver on these aims by:

• reviewing the developments in mental health law and practice on compulsory detention and care and treatment since the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 came into force;
• making recommendations that give effect to the rights, will and preferences of the individual by ensuring that mental health, incapacity and adult support and protection legislation reflects people’s social, economic and cultural rights including UNCRPD and ECHR requirements; and
• considering the need for the convergence of incapacity, mental health and adult support and protection legislation.

Scottish Government provides a framework of policy guidance on planning and architecture that supports local authorities in promoting development that responds appropriately to its context.

This reinforces the identity and character of Scotland’s communities and the use of appropriate materials is recognised as a key consideration in that.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-22466 on 23 May 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

a) Number of pupils with additional support needs (ASN) by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) deciles, 2014-2018.

a) Number of pupils with a Co-ordinated Support Plan (CSP) by Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD) decile, 2014-2018.

The Scottish Government does not currently hold information on the number of missed appointments during 2018-19. This information will be published later this year and will be available at: https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Hospital-Care/Publications/

The number of Did Not Attends (DNA) for new outpatient appointments in Scotland between April 2018 to December 2018 (inclusive) was 83,332.

The national clinical decision support (CDS) discovery project has considered how a national proposal to CDS Platform might benefit clinical decision across NHS services. Radiology has been part of that project. SG officials have recently met with representatives of the Scottish Radiology Transformation Project (SRTP) CDS steering group to discuss key interdependencies and associated risks between a proposed National Decision Support Platform and the radiology project providing CDS to that speciality. Radiology colleagues are considering future options for the STRP and an SG decision on a national platform is due over the Summer.

I refer the member to the answer to S5W-23295 on 30 May 2019. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

A review is currently being scoped to provide due diligence over the consideration of the business case for a National Decision Support Platform. I will be happy to update the member on the outcome of the review once it is concluded.