Teenagers who were patients at the Skye House psychiatric unit have come forward with disturbing allegations of mistreatment by nursing staff. Former patients disclosed to BBC Disclosure that they were subjected to derogatory remarks, such as being called "pathetic" and "disgusting," and were even mocked for their suicide attempts. Medical records reviewed by the BBC reveal that patients like Cara were restrained more than 400 times over an 18-month period. Furthermore, these young individuals reported being forced to clean up their own blood after self-harming and receiving excessive sedative injections when in distress.
Cara's harrowing experience at Skye House is emblematic of the broader issues faced by patients there. She frequently found herself restrained, sometimes by as many as five nurses at once, leaving her with physical injuries, including bruises and hair loss. On one occasion, she recounted a particularly traumatic event where a staff member's handprint was left around her neck after a restraint, describing it as "quite scary, to have this man hovering over you, holding you down."
"Quite scary, to have this man hovering over you, holding you down. His handprint was left around my neck." – Cara
Abby, another former patient, described being bullied by staff who were verbally abusive. She recounted an incident where a staff member dragged her off a bed and into a shower fully clothed, then left her there.
"She's then dragged me off the bed by my legs, and turned a shower on, and put me in the shower with my clothes on. And then just walked away and left." – Abby
"At the time I just thought it was normal. Everybody else was really getting the same kind of treatment." – Abby
Patients like Jenna also reported being subjected to excessive physical restraints and punitive measures disguised as care. She described the environment as akin to a prison and felt dehumanized by the treatment she received.
"It was hell, like a prison kind of environment," – Jenna
"Sometimes they would just come up to me and grab my arms and take me away," – Jenna
"I would just be dragged by however many nurses was needed." – Jenna
Medical records indicated that patients were sometimes restrained to a bed or the floor if considered a danger to themselves or others. In some cases, patients were given wipes and forced to clean floors as a form of punishment — further adding to their sense of degradation.
"I remember the staff member kind of saying, 'You're disgusting, like that's disgusting, you need to clean that up'. It made me feel really horrible." – Jenna
"It was almost as if I was getting treated like an animal," – Abby
Stephanie shared an incident where she was allegedly assaulted by a staff member after refusing to take a shower. These accounts paint a troubling picture of life at Skye House, where the supposed sanctuary for mental health treatment turned into a source of trauma for its patients.
The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland has visited Skye House six times since 2017, highlighting ongoing concerns about patient care within the facility. In response to these allegations, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde conducted a review of medication administration practices in 2023. Dr. Scott Davidson, the medical director of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, acknowledged these claims and expressed his dismay.
"If that occurred as that young person described, it's absolutely and completely unacceptable." – Jane Heslop
Dr. Davidson stated:
"I find these allegations very difficult to listen to and accept there were instances where care has been below the level we would expect for our young people."
The review aimed to address some of the issues raised by former patients by changing how medication is administered. However, the testimonies suggest that systemic problems may extend beyond medication practices alone.
Cara also highlighted instances of careless handling of her nasogastric (NG) feeds by staff, which would sometimes result in her vomiting due to the rapid delivery of liquid. This lack of attention to detail further exemplifies the inadequate care she received during her stay.
"I just thought they might treat me worse than they already were," – Cara
Jenna reflected on her experience at Skye House with disappointment, explaining how punishments were subtly inflicted to teach lessons rather than provide therapeutic support.
"It was a kind of subtle punishment to teach me a lesson." – Jenna
She described feeling horrible when forced to clean her own blood after self-harming incidents. These actions contributed to an environment that felt punishing rather than healing.
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