This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland
13/03/2007
The appointment of three part-time Commissioners to the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland have been made by Her Majesty the Queen on the recommendation of the Rt Hon Jack McConnell MSP, First Minister of Scotland.
Mrs Doris Aitken has been appointed as a Criminal Justice representative. She is currently Criminal Justice Service Manager for East Renfrewshire Community Health and Care Partnership She is responsibility for the management and development of social work staff employed in the joint social work and health Forensic Community Mental Health Team which provides a service to the local authorities in the West of Scotland. She does not hold any other ministerial appointments.
Catriona Maclean has been appointed as a Legal representative. She holds degrees in Engish and French law, and Scots law, and has been a practicing advocate at the Scottish bar for 8½ years. She specializes in personal injuries including medical negligence and head injuries. She has also acted for litigants with mental health problems. She has a particular interest in mediation and qualified as a mediator in April 2006. She does not hold any other ministerial appointments.
Ms Janet Killeen has been appointed as a Voluntary Sector representative. She is currently seconded to the Scottish Executive Justice Department from Alzheimer Scotland, where she has held the post of Public Policy Director since 1994. Jan's past work has had a particular focus on rights and legal protection issues as they affect people with dementia and their carers. This has carried through to her post as National Practice Co-ordinator for the Adults with Incapacity Act, which finishes later this year. She does not hold any other ministerial appointments.
These appointments will be for a period of four years from March 1, 2007 to February 28, 2011.
These posts are part time with a time commitment of around 20 to 25 days per year. Remuneration is currently £2,191 for an annual commitment of 15 days, plus a payment of £201 for each additional day devoted to Commission business.
The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland is an independent statutory body which protects mentally disordered people who are not able to look after their own interests. It enquires into cases of alleged ill treatment or deficiency of care or treatment and visits persons with mental disorder in hospitals and community settings, some of whom will be subject to the Mental Health (Care and Treatment) (Scotland) Act 2003 or the Adults with Incapacity (Scotland) Act 2000.
These Ministerial appointments were made in accordance with the Code of Practice issued by the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments in Scotland.
All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees' political activity (if any declared) to be made public. Within the last five years, none of the above appointees have been involved in any political activity.