The report revealed that drugs had been hidden in food to make patients more manageable and about half never went outside. About 65,000 people in Scotland have dementia and around 40% are in care homes or hospitals.
This report should set alarm bells ringing in the Scottish Government.
Practices like hiding medication in food is frankly intolerable and should not be allowed to continue. I fully support the call from Alzheimer Scotland for urgent action to ensure that people with dementia are afforded dignity and respect.
The shocking scenes in the recent Panorama programme also highlighted systematic failures in the way we treat elderly people. If the current legislation is not tough enough to provide protection then it must be changed.
I am meeting the Chair of the Scottish Human Rights Commission to discuss how it can become involved in this issue and help protect vulnerable elderly
people.

Dairy Summit
Along with colleagues, I backed calls for a dairy summit to take place in the Scottish Parliament. This event, which had support from politicians across political parties, went ahead last week, but there was anger that there was not enough support from some of the big supermarkets, who did not attend. The resulting feeling from the summit was that the dairy industry in Scotland will continue to suffer unless leading retailers get round the table with farmers to negotiate a fair price for their product.
I would like to see the introduction of a Grocery Ombudsman, but in the time it would take to get this established, supermarkets could have already taken steps to address the falling price farmers are paid for milk. It would be a crying shame if, in future, we end up relying on milk imports when there should a healthy viable industry on our doorstep.

ASDA Local Producers
I met constituent and local businessman Alex Paton of 'Some Hae meat' in Girvan, at a reception organised by ASDA, in the Scottish Parliament to highlight their partnership with local producers. It was good to hear of this local business getting recognition as well as seeing their produce in a number of ASDA stores. This is exactly the kind of initiative we should be supporting, as it brings local employment as well as offering a high quality product.

Derelict Buildings – campaign for change in legislation continues
My campaign to get a change in legislation to allow Councils to deal with derelict buildings continues. Gazette readers will recall that BBC Scotland came to Dailly to see how a local family were affected by having a derelict shell of a building adjoining their home. Despite all the promises that were made at the time, the family are still living with this eyesore on their doorstep a year later!
When I called to see them recently, they told me that the condition of the building is getting worse, and I could see for myself the increase in vegetation growing out of the ruins, and the shocking debris at the rear of the building. Its not acceptable that people have to live with this blight on their own property and I am frankly fed up hearing how difficult it is to get absentee owners to act. I want t see a change in the compulsory purchase system to allow councils to take over sites like this and clean up local eyesores. I have once again raised this with the Minister responsible, and I do not intend to let the matter drop. He has offered to consider any options I put to him, and I will be seeking a meeting to present him with a complete dossier of problem buildings in my constituency.
A number of people have been in touch regarding this issue, but please keep the examples coming so that I can include them.

Local roads update
Thanks to everyone who has been in touch about the appalling state of Carrick roads. I have raised this matter with the council and the Scottish Government, but so far no-one is taking responsibility to act! The cCouncil suggest they don't have enough money and the Scottish government say they do.
Meantime it's local people who are suffering! It's time to sort this mess out and get a programme of repairs under way. This issue was top of the agenda in my recent street surgery in Kirkmichael, and also during my discussions with local people in Dunure. Once again I am compiling a list of the main trouble spots to seek action.

Volunteer Ambulance Drivers
It was recently brought to my attention that drivers who transport patients to and from hospital appointments could lose out finacailly under new changes to NHS volunteers mileage rates. Local volunteers fear that the rate set for attending occasional meetings will effectively be more advantageous than for drivers who clock up a big mileage taking people to Glasgow. The volunteers fear that this will put people off taking on a driving role, which will lead to extra pressure on the patient transport system.
I questioned the Minister about this during health questions and she has agreed to look into the matter, so hopefully I will be able to get a quick answer and reassure constituents who are worried.

Fisherton Primary Awarded Eco Schools Green Flag
Well done to the pupils and staff at Fisherton Primary, pictured, who have been awarded the Eco Schools Green Flag. I was delighted to visit the school and present the flag, and see what the pupils have been doing.
As well as raised beds, and a greenhouse made from recycled plastic bottles, the pupils have arranged for extra blue bins for paper recycling ( well done to South Ayrshire Council on this one! ) and used thier Pupil council funds to purchase extra bins for the playground. On the day i visited, they were in the process of harvesting their potato barrel and were looking forward to a tasty treat of new potatoes with chives and parsley they had also grown.
The greenhouse looked set to produce a crop of tomatoes, as well as some vegetables. It was clear that the pupils were enjoying their success. A huge amount of work goes in to being granted Eco School status, and the assessment is pretty tough – particularly for a small school so this is a first class achievement!