By Bill Heaney
Dumbarton MSP Jackie Baillie has described the treatment of young mental health patients by Greater Glasgow and Clyde Health Board as “shocking”.
Labour’s health spokesperson at the Scottish Parliament told The Dumbarton Democrat: “The experience of young people at Skye House, exposed on the BBC Disclosure Programme, is shocking.
“The excessive use of restraint with some of the most vulnerable young people is inappropriate.
“The Scottish Government has continually underfunded mental health services at a time when demand for help is increasing. They must order a review of practice at Skye House and increase the resources available so that care is appropriate.”
Dame Jackie has asked the Health and Social Care Partnership in West Dunbartonshire how much use is made of Skye House for local children, and how long that has been going on for.
And Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has called for the Scottish Government to deliver a statement to parliament after the BBC investigation uncovered allegations of a culture of cruelty at Scotland’s largest psychiatric hospital for children.
Former patients at Skye House, run by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, have told BBC Disclosure that the hospital was like ‘hell’. They told the programme that there was an over-use of medication and that nursing staff quickly resorted to force, with some calling them ‘pathetic’, ‘disgusting’ and mocking their suicide attempts.
The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland has visited Skye House six times since 2017. The main issues reported in the BBC’s investigation, however, do not feature in any of the Commission’s published reports.
Mr Cole-Hamilton is now calling on the Scottish Government to make a statement to parliament explaining why these issues were missed until now.
Mr Cole-Hamilton, left, said: “These allegations are truly horrific.
“I am particularly concerned that despite the Mental Health Commission attending the hospital on many occasions, their subsequent reports did not address the issues raised by these young people.
“Ministers must urgently clarify why this was not the case. They must also make sure that no current patient is at risk of cruelty or abuse, and that every patient is receiving only the highest quality of care.”
Dumbarton MSP has promised to comment as soon as she has more details. West Dunbartonshire Council, of course, never comment to The Democrat.
Top of page – Skye House children’s psychiatrict hospital. See earlier story today in The Democrat and BBC Scotland Panorama story by Mark Daly and Jax Sinclair tonight at 8pm.