Mental Welfare Commission's role needs to be explained further

EDITOR—Alexander et al asked Scottish consultant psychiatrists about the helpfulness of various proceedings and events after the suicide of patients.1 The intervention of the Mental Welfare Commission was found to be unhelpful and is referred to, along with other enquiries, as contributing to a blame culture.

Although this undoubtedly accurately reports views expressed, it gives a misleading impression of the commission's role and practice. At one level, the statement is unexceptional; after all, the commission was …