FOI Request - Financial and Welfare Guardianship Order

Request 101003481810

This is a request for information relating Financial and Welfare Guardianship Orders.

1.  Please can we have the formal policy for the appointment of mental health officers.

2.  Please can we have information on waiting lists for the above, and any other information on how matters are allocated to any waiting list there is, or whether cases would be dealt with on a first- come – first- served basis.

3.  Please also supply the committee minutes in which the policy mentioned in question 1 was approved.

Response 16-02-2024

1. Not held. We do not hold a formal policy for the appointment of MHOs. There is a workforce plan in place and under S32(1) Mental Health Care and Treatment (Scotland) Act 2003 the Local Authority is required to appoint sufficient numbers of MHOs. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held.

2. There is no formal policy on keeping a waiting list for the allocation of an MHO for work under the 2000 Act. It is not a policy to hold a waiting list. The approach to prioritising the allocation of an MHO is in line with national priorities and has been discussed through the usual lines of governance.

The approach is to prioritise adults who are at risk of harm and people delayed in hospital. Others who may be made a higher priority are those who require medical treatment or an accommodation move which cannot go ahead without authority.

Referrals for MHO allocation cannot be dealt with requests on a first come first served basis.

3. From what can be ascertained there is no Council Minute in which such a policy is mentioned.