Scottish councils admit to lack of mental health officers
- 26 May
New research has found that almost two out of three councils in Scotland have a shortage of mental health officers.
Local authorities in Scotland have said that specialist social workers who advocate for people at risk of detention due to them being a risk to themselves or others are clocking up hundreds of hours of extra work, reports the Herald Scotland.
The Liberal Democrats have found that there were only 674 mental health officers in Scotland in 2013, which is a decrease from 698 in 2012.
LibDems health spokesman Jim Hume said: "Mental health officers provide an important safeguard of ensuring that all options are investigated before using compulsory admission of an individual with mental ill health. They are a vital link in protecting an individual's rights, properties and possessions."
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