WEDNESDAY, 30 MAY, 2018

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Tayside Mental Health Services Independent Inquiry - Progress Update

The establishment of an independent inquiry into NHS Tayside mental health services is advancing with discussions to finalise arrangements progressing well.

Since NHS Tayside Chairman John Brown and Chief Executive Malcolm Wright announced that they were to commission an independent inquiry, work has been ongoing to secure key roles within the inquiry and establish how the inquiry will be set up.

Key areas of progress include:

• Three potential independent chairs have been identified and expressed a willingness to take up the role.

• The potential chair of the inquiry will be invited to meet with families and key stakeholders before a final decision is made on who will lead the independent review.

• The independent chair will be supported by high level professional advice from a leading psychiatrist from out with Tayside.

• The Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (The ALLIANCE) – a national intermediary organisation which aims to ensure people are at the centre and their voices sit at the heart of the delivery and improvement of support and services – will lead the involvement of patients, families, the public, the third sector and mental health charities to the inquiry.

• The Chief Executive of the ALLIANCE, Professor Ian Welsh OBE, will independently lead a Stakeholder Participation Group made up of families, the public and other external stakeholders. He will meet with families and the public providing them with expert independent advice, leadership and support to ensure people know how they can input and give evidence to the inquiry in a very transparent way.

• The Stakeholder Participation Group will be asked to shape and agree the Terms of Reference of the inquiry. These terms will include agreed timescales for the inquiry and reporting processes.

• It is expected that the Terms of Reference will review safety, the quality of standards of care and, importantly, access to mental health services.

• A Clinical Participation Group, including staffside representatives and mental health staff, will be established.

• The inquiry will have independent administrative support.

Mr John Brown, Chair of NHS Tayside, said, “We have been working hard to ensure that this inquiry is set up in the right way from the beginning. I am pleased to report that all those we approached to play a role in this critical review have been supportive from the outset and the inclusion of the ALLIANCE demonstrates our commitment to it being truly independent and giving a voice to the concerns of families and the public.

“There is further progress to be made as we set up the participation groups and establish the terms of reference, but we are taking the time to ensure the inquiry is aligned in every aspect with the five principles agreed at the cross-party debate in the Scottish Parliament.

“The next step is to ensure that the Terms of Reference of the inquiry are shaped and agreed by families and the public and the ALLIANCE will be leading this first stage.

“It is important that the people of Tayside know that we are making progress and we will keep everyone updated as we finalise arrangements. Although the timescales for the inquiry will be agreed in the Terms of Reference, it would be our intention that there is an interim report provided to Tayside NHS Board by the end of September.”

Contact:

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 424138