Scottish Public Affairs Update – April 2023

Scottish Government

BPS congratulates new First Minister on his appointment

BPS issued a news statement BPS responds to the appointment of Humza Yousaf as the new First Minister of Scotland | BPS, congratulating the new First Minister on his appointment. We asked him to remain committed to further investment in and support for mental health services and workforce wellbeing.

Scottish Government publishes new First Minister's "vision for Scotland", setting out key aims to be achieved by 2026

On 18 April, the Scottish Government published a document Equality, opportunity, community: New leadership - A fresh start

In it, Michael Matheson MSP, Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care pledged that by 2026, he will have:

• Improved workforce planning, recruitment, retention and career progression.
• Improved outcomes for people in primary, community, and social care, through enhanced integrated multi-disciplinary teams and better digital tools including access to personal health information.
• Improved Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAHMS) and continued to implement the suicide prevention strategy.

Jenny Gilruth MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills pledged that by 2026, she will have:

• Continued focus on closing the poverty related attainment gap, whilst raising attainment for all - using our investment in the Scottish Attainment Challenge to further empower headteachers and Local Government to achieve their ambitions to improve outcomes for children and young people impacted by poverty.
• Improved the experiences and outcomes for children, young people and their families who use additional support for learning.
• Made Scotland the first UK nation to incorporate the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child into domestic law, ensuring we are a country that respects, protects and fulfils children's rights.
• Kept The Promise made to the care community by 2030, by helping families to thrive and stay together where that is appropriate, and reduced the numbers of children who have to go into care.
• She also highlights in the document that: The preventative approach is critical: children who grow up with less trauma, surrounded by love, are much more likely to fulfil their potential and enjoy wellbeing.

New Mental Wellbeing Minister

Maree Todd has been appointed as Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport. A pharmacist by profession, Maree Todd worked in NHS Highland for 20 years, mainly as a mental health pharmacist in a psychiatric hospital. She also contributed to SIGN guidance on perinatal mental health.

She was previously the Minister for Children and Young People.

Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy, Delivery Plan and Mental Health Workforce Action Plan

BPS continues to engage with the Scottish Government as it develops its Mental Health & Wellbeing Strategy. We responded to the draft Strategy in February and continue to work with the Scottish Government and wider stakeholders as the Strategy and its Delivery Plan progress.

The BPS also sits on the associated Scottish Government Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce Advisory Group, which advises on the government's approach to supporting the Mental Health and Wellbeing Workforce, including the development of a dedicated strategic approach and action plan.

All three documents are due for publication imminently. The BPS will keep members updated on progress and further opportunities to engage.

Open consultations

Review of National Outcomes, call for evidence

The Scottish Government is undertaking a review of the National Outcomes (Review of National Outcomes Call for Evidence). There are 11 National Outcomes, one of which is the Health Outcome. BPS intends to submit a response, asking for the Health Outcome to include explicit mention of mental as well as physical health.

Member views would be most welcome as we respond to the consultation. Please contact [email protected] by Friday 19 May 2023

Consultation on proposals to reform the criminal law to address misogyny

The Scottish Government is also consulting on proposals to reform the criminal law to address misogyny, following the findings and recommendations of the Independent Working Group on Misogyny and Criminal Justice in Scotland, chaired by Baroness Kennedy QC. 

In converting the recommendations into draft law, the Scottish Government has split the most important recommendation - that of a public misogynistic harassment offence - into two separate offences that cover the conduct intended to be criminalised by the recommendation.  They are a misogynistic harassment offence and a misogynistic behaviour offence. Please view links to the full consultation and an overview of each of the provisions

Member views would be most welcome as we consider responding to the consultation. Please contact [email protected] by Friday 19 May 2023

Recent BPS consultation responses

BPS has submitted responses to two Scottish government consultations – the Delivery of Psychological Treatments and Interventions: National Specification and the Draft Quality Standards for Adult Secondary Mental Services.

Both responses emphasised the need for more quantitative data to inform the proposals; and that current challenges around IT and staff wellbeing will need to be prioritised in order for services to meet the specification/standards.

We also cautioned against language implying the attainment of equity of outcomes; highlighting the inherent variation in the outcomes different people experience from the same treatment/intervention.

View our responses here: BPS responds to two Scottish government consultations | BPS

Scottish Parliament

The BPS continues to monitor legislative developments, including the National Care Service Scotland Bill and the Bail and Release from Custody Scotland Bill 

Stage 1 (general principles) completion of National Care Service (Scotland) Bill has been pushed back from June 2023 until after Summer, to allow for "continuing engagement and co-design activities through summer before moving to the next stage of the Bill" [Maree Todd, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport]. The Scottish Government will be holding a series of regional Forums, providing an opportunity for Ministers and officials to engage directly with people with lived experience of accessing and delivering social care support locally.

The Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill makes changes to the law in two main areas:

• Decisions about granting bail to people accused of a crime
• Arrangements for the release of some prisoners and the support that is provided to those who leave prison

The Bill is currently at Stage 2, when MSPs can propose changes ("amendments") to the Bill, which are considered and decided on by the lead Scottish Parliament committee – in this case, the Criminal Justice Committee.

If you would like to get involved in any aspect of this work on behalf of BPS, please contact [email protected]

Get in touch

For further information on any of the above, or to discuss wider BPS public affairs and policy work in Scotland, please contact [email protected].