This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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State Hospital annual review
30/08/2006
Deputy Health Minister Lewis Macdonald today chairs the State Hospital Board Annual Review at council offices in Lanark.
The State Hospital at Carstairs is the only hospital in Scotland to provide round the clock psychiatric care under high security conditions.
It aims to ensure public safety by providing secure care for up to 211 patients who may have dangerous, violent or criminal tendencies because of their mental ill-health, and cannot be cared for in any other setting.
Mr Macdonald said:
"The State Hospital has the important task of providing psychiatric care for a large number of patients who cannot be housed anywhere else because of their dangerous, violent or criminal tendencies that have arisen out of mental ill-health.
"It's vital that the State Hospital ensures public safety by providing secure high quality care to help patients recover where possible and to live their lives as fully as possible.
"The services that the State Hospital Board provide are unique and the staff there are committed to providing patient care and treatment to the highest standards, in conditions of high security.
"Many patients at the State Hospital have poor physical health and I know the Board are taking action to address this. They are taking forward health improvement work to encourage patients to exercise more and eat healthily. Adopting a healthier lifestyle can also have added benefits to mental health and well-being so its important for these patients to make healthier choices.
"Research shows that smoking is much more common among people with mental health problems. Ninety per cent of patients in the State Hospital smoke and the Board has set up a smoking cessation programme to tackle this. Many patients welcome this development and 11 patients have stopped smoking since the start of this work.
"Encouragingly, the Board has also cut waiting times for alcohol and drug programmes from six months to an average of three months. The Board must continue to improve services for patients and further reduce waiting times for therapy, alcohol and drug treatment programmes. The Hospital's redevelopment plans should help with this.
"As well as highlighting the success of the State Hospital, and giving credit where credit is due, I also want to use these Annual Reviews to scrutinise local performance, challenge where necessary and drive forward further improvement.
"I want to see an NHS which is better, quicker, closer and safer. These reviews will help us deliver that."
The State Hospital Board for Scotland is a Special Health Board, the only hospital of its kind within Scotland.