Comments on the Mental Welfare Commission's Draft Five Year Strategic Plan 2006-2011

Alzheimer Scotland is the leading specialist dementia charity in Scotland and works to improve the lives of everyone affected by dementia. Our members include carers, relatives, people with dementia, professionals, groups and organisations. We run services in over sixty sites, and provide the freephone 24 hour Dementia Helpline, publications and an extensive website. We aim to be the national and local voice of and for people with dementia and their carers in Scotland and work to improve public policies for their benefit.

There are currently 64,000 people with dementia in Scotland, almost 2000 of whom are under the age of 65. The number of people with dementia is predicted to rise in line with the ageing population.

Alzheimer Scotland welcomes the opportunity to comment on the Mental Welfare Commission’s Strategic Plan. In responding to this, we surveyed members of our Rights and Legal Protection Committee, who include a solicitor, social workers, a clinical psychologist and an ex-carer of a person with dementia. Generally we welcome this strategic plan; however, we have a number of comments, which we hope will help to improve it.

1.1 Comments on Strategic Plan

1.1.1 Pages 4 & 5
We suggest that the scope, responsibilities, duties and powers of the Mental Welfare Commission under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 and Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 are laid out in summary in this section.

1.1.2 Page 7
In the last paragraph on social and demographic factors, it may be more relevant to include the estimated numbers of people with dementia in Scotland. For projections to 2031, please see our website http://www.alzscot.org/pages/statistics.htm
1.1.3 Page 8
We would like the word “vulnerable” (1st paragraph) to be removed as we do not feel it is helpful in this context. We also recommend that you keep in step with the ongoing debate about terminology in the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Bill.

1.1.4 Page 10
In section 4.2.1, please clarify how you address barriers to communicating with people with dementia when you visit them.

1.1.5 Page 11
In the last paragraph on this page it is stated, relating to people subject to welfare guardianship under the AWI Act, that “we will only visit an individual where we have some concerns about his or her situation”. We would like to suggest that the Commission performs some random ‘spot checks’ for people subject to welfare guardianship.

1.1.6 Page 13
We welcome the move towards more informal and flexible ways of talking with individuals and groups. We would also like to see an undertaking in this section to use creative ways of communicating with people with dementia about their experiences during your visits to facilities.
We also welcome the increase in unannounced visits.

1.1.7 Page 18
More information on the interface between the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 and Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 would be helpful as would some information on how the Mental Welfare Commission interacts with Mental Health Tribunals.

We hope this response is helpful and are happy to provide clarification on any of the points we have made.

Dr Gillian Wilson
Policy and Research Officer, Alzheimer Scotland
30 November 2006