Review of Mental Health Officer Services

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Help Shape the Future of MHO Services

We are undertaking a review of Mental Health Officer (MHO) Services across Aberdeenshire to better understand what is working well, where there are challenges, and what opportunities exist to strengthen services for the future.

An MHO is a specially trained social worker who helps ensure that people experiencing serious mental health difficulties are supported safely, fairly and in line with the law. MHOs work with individuals, families, health professionals and legal services to protect people's rights and support decisions about care, treatment and welfare.

The review has been commissioned in response to increasing demand on MHO services, growing complexity of statutory work, workforce pressures, and the need to ensure that MHO services remain sustainable, effective and responsive to future needs. The review will consider current service arrangements, workforce challenges, governance and operational processes, alongside potential future service models.

Your experience, expertise and perspectives are vital to this process. Whether you are an MHO, social worker, manager, health professional, partner organisation or involved in supporting MHO functions, we want to hear from you.

The purpose of this engagement is to:

  • Understand what is working well within current MHO services.
  • Identify challenges, pressures and areas for improvement.
  • Gather ideas and feedback on future service delivery.
  • Ensure any future recommendations are informed by those with direct experience of working within or alongside MHO services.
  • Support the development of a sustainable, high-quality service that continues to meet statutory responsibilities and the needs of people who use our services.

We are committed to conducting this review openly, respectfully and collaboratively. All feedback received will be carefully considered alongside service data, workforce analysis, national standards and wider stakeholder engagement to inform recommendations and future decision-making.

Help Shape the Future of MHO Services

We are undertaking a review of Mental Health Officer (MHO) Services across Aberdeenshire to better understand what is working well, where there are challenges, and what opportunities exist to strengthen services for the future.

An MHO is a specially trained social worker who helps ensure that people experiencing serious mental health difficulties are supported safely, fairly and in line with the law. MHOs work with individuals, families, health professionals and legal services to protect people's rights and support decisions about care, treatment and welfare.

The review has been commissioned in response to increasing demand on MHO services, growing complexity of statutory work, workforce pressures, and the need to ensure that MHO services remain sustainable, effective and responsive to future needs. The review will consider current service arrangements, workforce challenges, governance and operational processes, alongside potential future service models.

Your experience, expertise and perspectives are vital to this process. Whether you are an MHO, social worker, manager, health professional, partner organisation or involved in supporting MHO functions, we want to hear from you.

The purpose of this engagement is to:

  • Understand what is working well within current MHO services.
  • Identify challenges, pressures and areas for improvement.
  • Gather ideas and feedback on future service delivery.
  • Ensure any future recommendations are informed by those with direct experience of working within or alongside MHO services.
  • Support the development of a sustainable, high-quality service that continues to meet statutory responsibilities and the needs of people who use our services.

We are committed to conducting this review openly, respectfully and collaboratively. All feedback received will be carefully considered alongside service data, workforce analysis, national standards and wider stakeholder engagement to inform recommendations and future decision-making.

  • MHO Review Survey - Staff

    As part of the ongoing Review of Mental Health Officer (MHO) Services, we are inviting staff working across Partnership services to complete a short survey. 

    The review is being undertaken to better understand what is working well within current MHO services, where there are challenges and pressures, and what opportunities exist to strengthen services for the future. The review has been commissioned in response to increasing demand on MHO services, the growing complexity of statutory work, workforce pressures, and the need to ensure services remain effective, sustainable and responsive to future emerging needs. 

    Your experience and professional insight are extremely important to this work. Your feedback will help us to: 

    •         Understand strengths within current MHO services 

    •         Identify challenges and areas for improvement 

    •         Gather ideas about future service delivery 

    •         Ensure any future recommendations are informed by those who work within or alongside MHO services 

    The survey should take approximately 5-10 minutes to complete. Responses are confidential and will be reviewed and reported in a way that does not identify individual respondents. Honest feedback is encouraged and will help ensure the review reflects the experiences of those who work within and alongside MHO services. 

    Some questions may not be relevant to you. You can skip any question that does not apply. The closing date for this survey is 2nd October 2026.

    Please note that this survey is intended for staff working across Partnership services. A separate survey will be circulated directly to GP colleagues to gather feedback on their experiences of accessing and working with MHO services.


    Take Survey
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Page last updated: 28 Aug 2026, 01:54 PM