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Seòmar agus comataidhean

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 18 March 2025
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Displaying 1088 contributions

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Criminal Justice Committee

Policing and Mental Health

Meeting date: 15 November 2023

Sharon Dowey

Will the police be able to implement that, or is there a cost implication?

Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 15 November 2023

Sharon Dowey

You said in your opening statement that all organisations are supportive of bringing in trauma-informed practices. Those organisations have highlighted all the issues that we have highlighted, so would the money not be better spent on fixing the things that we already know are wrong? The money is going to have to come from somewhere.

Criminal Justice Committee

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 15 November 2023

Sharon Dowey

Earlier, you said that the role will provide a statutory mechanism for the voices and experiences of victims to be heard. You also said that it would give them an independent voice and champion and that it would monitor compliance. However, there are already many groups and organisations out there that could perform that same function. Rape Crisis Scotland, Victim Support and Scottish Women’s Aid have all expressed concern that funding for the commissioner should not take funding from the front-line services that they provide. In the Finance and Public Administration Committee concern was also expressed that

“it is becoming regarded as a casual thing to suggest and implement the establishment of another commissioner, despite it being an expensive extension of our public sector.”—[Official Report, Finance and Public Administration Committee, 10 January 2023; c 20.]

We all know that finances are finite. We will have to find the money from somewhere. Where is the money coming from? Can you guarantee that it will not be taken from existing front-line services?

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “Adult mental health”

Meeting date: 9 November 2023

Sharon Dowey

I would ask you more on that issue but there will be questions later on funding, so we will come back to that.

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “Adult mental health”

Meeting date: 9 November 2023

Sharon Dowey

Thank you for that—there are lots of points to consider.

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “Adult mental health”

Meeting date: 9 November 2023

Sharon Dowey

Good morning. I want to ask a bit more about the current demand for mental health services. Where is that demand being felt the most among service providers, and how is unmet need being measured?

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “Adult mental health”

Meeting date: 9 November 2023

Sharon Dowey

That is great—thank you. I ask Jo Anderson to come in.

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “Adult mental health”

Meeting date: 9 November 2023

Sharon Dowey

What impact are the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis having on demand for mental health services, and how does that affect service delivery?

Public Audit Committee

Section 23 Report: “Adult mental health”

Meeting date: 9 November 2023

Sharon Dowey

To go back to your previous comments, you mentioned confusing pathways and GPs being the main gateway, and in your response there you mentioned asking once and getting help fast. Do we have a robust enough system so that people know which pathways they can follow?

There is various funding available for groups. Once a group gets funding to help with mental health, are GPs made aware of it? Are GPs made aware of all the help that is funded by the Scottish Government so that they can offer those pathways?

Meriem Timizar is the co-ordinator for the International Women’s Group. If a doctor was struggling to get a translator for somebody from an ethnic minority, would they know to go to that group for help?

Criminal Justice Committee

Pre-budget Scrutiny 2024-25

Meeting date: 8 November 2023

Sharon Dowey

That will obviously have an impact on this year’s budget, so should that cost analysis not have been done already?