Skye House, a specialist NHS unit situated within the grounds of Glasgow's Stobhill Hospital, is under intense scrutiny following serious allegations of cruelty towards its patients. The unit, which opened in 2009, caters to children aged 12 to 18 who are often at crisis points in their mental health journey. The majority of these young patients are detained under the Mental Health Act, unable to leave until doctors deem them fit for discharge.
In 2023, a review of medication administration practices was conducted, prompting further investigations into the quality of care provided at the unit. This full internal review has been commissioned by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) in response to allegations brought to light by the BBC Disclosure documentary "Kids on The Psychiatric Ward." The program featured interviews with 28 former patients, some of whom described their experiences as akin to "hell."
The Scottish government is taking these claims seriously, with ongoing engagements with the Royal College of Psychiatrists for an independent expert review. Government ministers will also convene with leaders from all health boards managing child and adolescent mental health units this Wednesday.
"I will carefully scrutinise both of these reviews as soon as they come out and expect Greater Glasgow and Clyde to act immediately on any recommendations for improvement."
— Maree Todd
Maree Todd, Minister for Mental Wellbeing, emphasized her commitment to addressing the issues highlighted in the documentary. She expressed her intent to ensure stringent governance measures are in place to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
"I will also be asking about the governance arrangement in place to make sure that this can never happen again."
— Maree Todd
Dr. Scott Davidson, NHSGGC's medical director, confirmed that a comprehensive internal review of Skye House's care quality is actively underway. He also highlighted ongoing collaboration with mental health experts to ensure thorough evaluations.
"In light of the experiences and of the accounts of patients, a full internal review of the quality of care at Skye House is under way."
— Dr. Scott Davidson
"We are also engaging with the Royal College of Psychiatrists on a further independent expert review of the unit."
— Dr. Scott Davidson
However, criticism has arisen regarding the timing of these revelations. Meghan Gallacher has accused the Scottish government of longstanding awareness of these issues.
"The Scottish government didn't find about this through the BBC documentary, they had known for years."
— Meghan Gallacher
"I've no idea how the minister can stand here today and pretend to be shocked because she's known about this for years."
— Meghan Gallacher
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