Mental health social worker Sandy Watt was the big winner at the Scottish Association of Social Work’s (SASW’s) annual awards in Perth, taking the top prize for his 20 years as a “model professional”. The North Lanarkshire mental health officer and practice teacher was described as “skilled, courteous, ethical and effective” in working with a range of people with significant mental health challenges.

Plans to integrate Scotland’s health and social care services by 2014 must learn lessons from similar efforts elsewhere in the world where successes and failures highlight the perils of attempting to merge the two entities.

Social workers have been warned by the Scottish Social Services Council (SSSC) to ensure they do not do anything in their private lives that could call into question their suitability to practise.

Social workers should absorb BASW’s revised Code of Ethics, published in January this year, and use it in all aspects of their work, professionals at a Scottish Association of Social Work (SASW – part of BASW) heard.

Some asylum seekers in Scotland are being left destitute and social workers must play a role in ensuring their wellbeing, delegates to SASW’s World Social Work Day conference have heard.