Learning Bite

What is a Mental Health Officer?

All Mental Health Officers (MHO’s) are Social Workers who have successfully completed the post-graduate Mental Health Officer Award at one of four approved universities in Scotland. All Social Worker’s wishing to become an MHO must have at least two years post qualifying experience before undertaking the award to ensure they have the necessary skills and experience to fulfil what is a statutory role.

MHO’s have a unique role in supporting and protecting people and are regularly required to assess individuals experiencing mental disorder who may need compulsory measures of care, treatment, and in some cases detention under the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003. MHO’s are also required assess and provide reports to the Court under the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000, commenting on a person’s capacity to manage their own welfare, finances or both. While not part of the MHO training, MHO’s are often asked to give advice and guidance in relation the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 as it is not uncommon for these three key pieces of legislation to intertwine when safeguarding people who are experiencing mental disorder.

The MHO role carries considerable autonomy and responsibility and will require working alongside a variety of medical, legal and other professionals on a regular basis.

What do MHO’s do?
MHOs have a wide range of tasks and duties under both the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) Scotland Act 2003 and the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 which include:
• Assessing and considering the use of compulsory measures for any person experiencing mental disorder who requires treatment in hospital
• Preparation of Social Circumstances Reports for the persons Responsible Medical Officer and the Mental Welfare Commission.
• Applying to the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland to extend a person’s compulsory admission to hospital where it has been deemed necessary.
• Provide support and supervision to a person who is subject to compulsory measures
• Provide evidence at Mental Health Tribunals and Court hearings
• Provide supervision to a person subject to compulsory measures under part 6 of the Criminal Procedures (Scotland) Act 1995
• Undertake inquiries where it is thought someone experiencing mental disorder may be at risk.
• Advising detained person of their rights, including the right to an independent advocate, legal representation, and a Named Person
• Make applications and provide assessments and reports for the Sheriff Courts where the use of the Adult with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000 is being considered e.g. Welfare Guardianship.
• Compile statutory reports to support private Guardianship Applications, including a view on the suitability of a proposed Guardian.
• Complete assessments and prepare reports for the Court, Tribunal and Scottish Ministers.
• Provide advice for other professionals, Service users and carers regarding the use of mental health legislation.
NB: This list is not exhaustive

While MHOs are accountable to the local authority that employs them their assessments are completely independent. In addition, the MHO role must remain impartial and independent of health services although there is a requirement to work very closely with colleagues from a range of disciplines.

Each year the Angus MHO Service offer two Social Workers from any discipline e.g. Children and Justice, Learning Disability, Community Mental Health, Older People’s Services the opportunity to undertake this training. If this is something you would be interested in learning more about, please contact the Team Manager, Dave Mann by email in the first instance: MannD@angus.gov.uk

Care Inspectorate and Adult Protection

In line with the Scottish Government led improvement plan, further scrutiny and assurance of adult support and protection is being undertaken across Scotland. This builds on the first joint inspection of adult support and protection, involving six adult protection partnerships, undertaken in 2017/18 and published July 2018. The initial inspection identified some good progress by partnerships and but also variations in how partnerships give effect to the Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007.

Further information can be found on the Care Inspectorate Adult Support and Protection 

The information available includes:
-The current ASP inspection programme
-FAQs
-Partnership Briefing Document
-Staff Briefing for Focus Groups

Information provided by Dave Bliss, Strategic Inspector, Care Inspectorate

Learning Bite - Professional Dangerousness

The article below draws on the work of Brandon, Davies & Townsend to set out some definitions of aspects of professional dangerousness drawn from the learning of practice reviews. The challenge for professionals is to use them to pre-empt and prevent future incidents.

60 second read… What is professional dangerousness?

Safer Internet Day – 8 February 2022

The Angus Child Protection Committee has signed up in support of Safer Internet Day 2022.

Your organisation can sign up and find free resources to support young people and their families at their website.

Angus Council Justice services will be hosting “Engaging with Perpetrators of Domestic Abuse” training throughout 2022!

Dates to be released soon via this monthly L&D newsletter.

Red Harbour have just announced a free to attend ‘In discussion with Bruce Adamson, The Children and Young People’s Commissioner and Elly Chapple, Founder of #Flipthenarrative and CanDoELLA.

This event is being held as a precursor to the event, ‘The Power or Positive Relationships – inspiring children to achieve their true potential’ (https://powerofpositiverelationships.eventbrite.co.uk) that both Bruce and Elly are speaking at, amongst others.

This will be an opportunity to ask a question to Bruce and/or Elly around the importance of relationship bonds between children and young people and the professionals who support them, particularly with vulnerable children. This is vital, coming out of the pandemic, following the past 2 years with all that children have endured.

For further information and to book your place, please follow the link: https://questionstocypcommissioner.eventbrite.co.uk