Reference Library

Scottish Addiction Studies Library

Fri, 15 Jan 2010 11:55:40 UTC

This resource is owned and maintained by Scottish Addiction Studies who have been providing quality teaching and research in the addictions since 1984.

http://www.drugslibrary.stir.ac.uk/index.php

Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:34:20 UTC

A Guide to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.

http://www.apexscotland.org.uk/rehabact_extended.pdf

Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services

Mon, 10 Dec 2007 10:11:58 UTC

The Institute for Research and Innovation in Social Services (IRISS) wants to develop a world-class, knowledge-based social services sector in Scotland through learning, creativity, and partnership.

The Institute was established in 2003 as the Scottish Institute for Excellence in Social Work Education (SIESWE) as a collaboration of the nine Scottish universities involved in teaching social work, with the aim of transforming the education and training of Scotlands future social workers.

The aim of the Institute is to develop educational qualifications, professional development pathways and organisational learning cultures that continue to promote positive change in Scotland's social services sector.

Website: www.iriss.ac.uk

Commission for Equality and Human Rights

Mon, 01 Oct 2007 12:12:10 UTC

The Commission for Equality and Human Rights takes an active role in helping to achieve positive change to benefit some of the most vulnerable and least well represented people in our diverse nation.

Previously this work was undertaken by three individual commissions: Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), Disability Rights Commission (DRC) and Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC).

The CEHR takes on all of the powers of the existing Commissions as well as new powers to enforce legislation more effectively and promote equality for all. The Commission will champion the diverse communities that make up modern Britain in their struggle against discrimination.

It will also promote awareness and understanding of human rights and encourage good practice by public authorities in meeting their Human Rights Act obligations. New powers to take human rights cases will give a new arrow to the bow of many minorities who suffer discrimination.

The CEHR covers England, Scotland and Wales. In Scotland and Wales there will be statutory committees responsible for the work of the CEHR.

Website: www.equalityhumanrights.com

Context in Scotland

The Scottish equality, diversity and human rights context differs from the rest of Great Britain. The Scotland Act 1998 which established the devolved institutions (Scottish Parliament and Scottish Executive) also gave those institutions specific powers and duties relating to equality and human rights.

While international relations are a reserved matter, the observance and implementation of international obligations, including obligations under the Human Rights Convention are not reserved.

The power to legislate on equal opportunities is reserved, however there are two exceptions to the reservation:

the encouragement (other than by prohibition or regulation) of equal opportunities and in particular the observance of the equal opportunities requirements;
and the imposition of duties on Scottish public authorities, and cross-border public authorities in relation to their Scottish functions.

The Scotland Act defines "equal opportunities" as:

"the prevention, elimination or regulation of discrimination between persons on grounds of sex or marital status, on racial grounds or on grounds of disability, age, sexual orientation, language or social origin, or of other personal attributes including beliefs or opinions such as religious beliefs or political opinions."

The Scottish Executive and Parliament have used these devolved equality powers to impose duties on many Scottish public authorities, including local government and the NHS, to encourage equal opportunities, as defined in the Scotland Act.

Acts of the Scottish Parliament can be challenged and potentially struck down by the courts if they do not comply with human rights. Further a member of the Scottish Executive has no power to make any subordinate legislation, or to do any other act, so far as the legislation or act is incompatible with any of the Convention rights.

Human Rights

The Scottish Parliament does not have a human rights committee, instead choosing to mainstream human rights across the work of the committees. In practice many human rights issues are considered by the Justice Committees however, the Equal Opportunities Committee, Education, Culture and Sport Committee, amongst others, have also considered issues. There is a Cross-Party Group on Human Rights . The Scottish Executive also has a Human Rights Branch, which deals with general human rights issues affecting Scotland and is responsible for taking forward the creation of the Scottish Commissioner for Human Rights.

Section 7 of the Equality Act 2006 provides that "The Commission [CEHR] shall not take human rights action in relation to a matter if the Scottish Parliament has legislative competence to enable a person to take action of that kind in relation to that matter."

Such a person or body could be the Scottish Commission for Human Rights (SCHR). The SCHR Act was passed on 2 November 2006.

In practice this means that the CEHR will operate in Scotland on human rights issues which relate to reserved matters and the Scottish Commissioner for Human Rights, if established, will operate on human rights issues which relate to devolved matters. It is expected that the two bodies will work closely together and will agree a Memorandum of Understanding, once the SCHR is set up.

General Medical Council (GMC)

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 20:46:43 UTC

The General Medical Council (GMC) is the professional body for doctors.

http://www.gmc-uk.org

Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC)

Wed, 06 Dec 2006 20:43:55 UTC

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is the professional body for nurses.

http://www.nmc-uk.org

The Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 15:29:36 UTC

Link to the website of the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland

http://www.mhtscot.org.uk

The Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum

Wed, 01 Nov 2006 15:26:15 UTC

Link to the website of the Scottish Throughcare and Aftercare Forum

http://www.scottishthroughcare.org.uk

Social Work Inspection Agency

Sun, 28 Aug 2005 17:31:59 UTC

As an Executive Agency, the Social Work Inspection Agency (SWIA)operates independently and impartially. At the same time, they remain directly accountable to Scottish Ministers for the standards of their work.

Focusing on inspection and at arm's length from policy responsibilities, their job is to inspect all social work services in Scotland, and report publicly and to Parliament on the quality of these services, locally and nationally. The emphasis is firmly on People.

http://www.swia.gov.uk

eCare

Sun, 28 Aug 2005 17:27:12 UTC

eCare is about better and more joined up care, advice and assistance to the people of Scotland through the use of computers and communication technology. With the individual's consent eCare enables secure information-sharing between professionals - such as doctors, nurses, social workers and teachers - in public and voluntary agencies.

The most obvious benefits are in:

Giving members of the public easier access to their own information
Reducing the amount of time service users have to spend repeating information they have already given to some other person or agency
Helping the practitioner to have complete and up to date information before making an assessment or diagnosis

There are also wider benefits in:

Identifying early issues relating to community health (such as an outbreak of a communicable disease)
Targeting future public spending on the people or areas in greatest need
Assessing whether particular types of intervention or treatment are effective

The eCare approach is based on four types of partnership between:

The service provider and the service user (for example the doctor and the patient)
Different sorts of professional, often working in separate organisations
Local and national authorities without adopting the "top down" or "bottom up" approaches of the past
Traditionally separate Scottish Executive Departments (ensured by cross-departmental, Modernising Government funding and accountability).

You can find more information about eCare at the national eCare Programme website -

http://www.ecare-scotland.gov.uk