Families of Tayside suicide victims, including Carseview patients, wait for inquiry findings

Mar 11, 2019 | Carseview, NHS Scotland, NHS Tayside, NHS Tayside Inquiry, Not in Vain for Lee, Suicide, Suicide Prevention

The independent inquiry into mental health services in Tayside has retired to consider the key issues hampering the system’s ability to care for patients.

Launched following pressure from the families of suicide victims in Dundee, the inquiry’s evidence stage has concluded after receiving hundreds of submissions from the public.

Alongside other evidence, these will now be examined by the inquiry, chaired by former chief inspector of prisons David Strang.

Mr Strang said: “I am pleased with the response we have received to our public call for evidence. More than 200 people have submitted written documents and personal statements and there have been more than 60 oral evidence sessions held.

“Evidence has been submitted from a wide range of people including patients, families, carers, NHS employees and third-sector organisations.”

**David Strang is chairing the inquiry**

Agencies such as Police Scotland, student welfare teams and Dundee Drugs Misuse Commission have also contributed.

The evidence stage has taken several months, with discussions held with parties with an interest in improving mental health services.

The inquiry has visited psychiatric units including the Carseview Centre, the Rohallion Clinic and Stracathro in order to understand the systems currently in place.

The information it has gathered to date will be used to identify key issues in mental health services.

A statement from inquiry chiefs said: “The next stage of the inquiry’s work is to analyse all the data evidence, relevant government reports, statistical data, internal NHS review documents and data, in order to identify common themes which will then be the subject of further investigation and analysis.”

The inquiry was commissioned by NHS Tayside last year after campaign group Lost Souls of Dundee claimed it had identified at least 10 suicides which could have been prevented in the area.

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Musician urges people not to keep their mental health rapped up

Feb 21, 2019 | Carseview, Mental Health, Mental Health Crisis, Not in Vain for Lee

A Tayside musician is helping beat the stigma of mental illness by rapping about his time in a Dundee psychiatric hospital.

Kieran Smart, who studied music production in Perth before being admitted to Carseview, posted a video to social media which detailed his battle against self-harm and hallucinations.

The 23-year-old mentions his feelings of isolation while struggling with his mental health, which led him to spend a total of four months in the unit over the past two years.

He said he hoped the video would encourage more people to seek help sooner, after revealing it took him five years to get treatment.

He said: “It’s an overview of what I was feeling at the time. Now I feel not much different but better – music definitely helps with that. It gives me an outlet – a way to put things down as I’m not really big on speaking to people and this is easier.

“I’ve been writing for ten years and when I came out of Carseview the second time that’s when I recorded my first song.

“I put this video online to help break down the stigma of mental illness. I want to bring awareness to that – I want people to know it’s all right to not be all right.

“It’s a constant reminder for me but I’d rather it helped someone – I hope it would. I’ve been dealing with this since 2012 and I didn’t seek any help until 2017 because I had the idea that being male I had to mask it.”

Mr Smart has also praised staff at the facility at a time when mental health services in Tayside have come under fire, with unit closures in Perthshire and Angus.

He said: “When I first went into Carseview I wanted out as soon as possible because I was in a locked ward but the treatment was really good and the staff were great – they were always willing to talk.”

Link to Courier article here

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Mental health readmission rate rising in Tayside

Jan 20, 2019 | Carseview, Depression, Dundee City Council, John Alexander, NHS Scotland, NHS Tayside, NHS Tayside Inquiry, Not in Vain for Lee, Suicide, Suicide Prevention, Suicide risk

The number of people with mental health issues being readmitted to hospital in Tayside within a month of their discharge is increasing.

More than 16% of Tayside adults discharged from hospital, having been admitted on mental health grounds, were back within a month in 2016/17, according to new figures.

The readmission rate has increased from 11.9% in 2012/13.

NHS Tayside is above the Scottish average for mental health hospital readmissions in the most recent statistics compiled by ISD Scotland.

At 16.3%, it was behind only NHS boards in Dumfries & Galloway and Lothian.

The majority of patients readmitted after an initial stay in hospital were affected by mood disorders (36.9%), delusional type disorders (19.2%) and adult personality and behavioural disorders (15.8%).

North East Scottish Conservative MSP Bill Bowman said the increase in readmissions for depression is “very troubling”.

The ISD figures also recorded NHS Tayside region had the fourth highest suicide rate in Scotland, behind Forth Valley, Highlands and Orkney – 14.4 per 100,000 between 2012 and 2016.

Mr Bowman said: “At some point, one in four people will experience a mental health condition.

“NHS Tayside staff are doing their best to deal with the growing number of people who come to them with symptoms of depression and low mood.

“Because Tayside has such a high suicide rate, NHS Tayside needs resources to dig into why people come back to hospital so quickly.

“If it’s because of underfunding in areas run by councils and community healthcare partnerships, the SNP government needs to assess the potential damage it is doing by making cuts to local authority budgets.”

A spokesperson for NHS Tayside said: “Mental illnesses can be unpredictable and there are many reasons why a patient may require to be readmitted following discharge from hospital.

“Patients can sometimes experience a new episode of illness for which admission to hospital is the most appropriate course of treatment.

“Patients are discharged following clinical assessment from a consultant psychiatrist and are followed up locally within the community.

“There is no direct relationship between the length of time a patient is in hospital and the need to be readmitted.”

She added: “Anyone can become suicidal; the reasons can be different and very complex and it is not always due to mental illness. Each suicide is a tragedy and the impact on those left behind lasts a lifetime.

“Every suicide in Tayside is comprehensively reviewed by the Tayside multi-agency Suicide Review Group to look at the circumstances surrounding each individual case.

“f people are feeling suicidal, the best thing to do is talk and tell someone how they are feeling. Speak to someone you can trust or call a helpline. If you’re worried that someone else is suicidal, ask them – asking someone directly about their feelings can help them.”

Further help and information can be found by downloading the “Suicide? Help!” app, visiting www.suicidehelp.co.uk or calling NHS 24 on 111, Samaritans on Freephone 116 123 or Breathing Space on 0800 838587 or www.breathingspacescotland.co.uk

An independent inquiry into mental health services in Tayside is currently under way.

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Grieving mum still seeking answers 11 years after son died at Dundee’s Carseview Centre

Jan 20, 2019 | Carseview, NHS Tayside, NHS Tayside Inquiry, Not in Vain for Lee, Suicide

**Wilma is still heartbroken over the loss of her son Gavin (left)**

A grieving mum is still seeking answers 11 years after her son died at the Carseview Centre.

Gavin Allan was just 26 when he died from the “adverse affects of heroin” on January 17 2008.

His mum Wilma Hughes, from Douglas, said she still doesn’t know what happened in the hours leading up to her son’s death.

Wilma said: “I’m still looking for answers about how my son was able to get the drugs that ultimately killed him.

“It’s 11 years since Gavin died but I’m still grieving.

“I’ve decided to speak out now because things like this are still happening.

“Nothing can be done that will bring my son back but I want to speak out and stop this happening to someone else’s loved one.”

Wilma said that although he was never properly diagnosed, she believed Gavin could have been suffering from ADHD as a teenager.

She said: “I took him to the doctor but I was just told he was boisterous.”

Wilma said after he left school aged 16, Gavin started to dabble in drugs – but she wasn’t aware of that at the time.

She said by the time her son was in his 20s, he was smoking heroin and had to give up work.

“One night Gavin came to me and said he needed help,” Wilma said.

“He came to stay with me for a while but he became increasingly unwell and was suffering from mental health issues.

“He was on prescribed medication for drug-induced psychosis but things came to a head when he fell from his bedroom window and I found him lying on the ground.”

Gavin spent time in hospital following the incident, as well as a period in Carseview.

Wilma said: “It was while he was in Carseview and supposedly under 24-hour supervision that he was able to get away and find the drugs that resulted in his death.

“He managed to slip away, get himself to the Hilltown and bought heroin. He brought it back to Carseview and took it there. I don’t understand how he was able to leave the hospital without them knowing and without the staff being aware that he was missing. I want justice for my son.”

A spokeswoman for NHS Tayside said: “Our thoughts remain with the family.

“Due to patient confidentiality, we cannot comment on matters relating to individual patients.”

Link to Evening Tele article here

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Nursing student’s story about her mental health battle inspires thousands

Jan 14, 2019 | Anti-depressants, Anxiety, Carseview, Crisis Centre, Crisis team, Dundee, Student welfare, University of Dundee

Essex-born student Chloe Sheridan, who studies in Dundee, shared her emotional tweet charting her mental health battle

**Chloe Sheridan, who studies in Dundee, shared an emotional tweet charting her personal journey**

A nursing student has revealed how she went from having suicidal thoughts to training to become a mental health nurse in an inspiring post.

Chloe Sheridan was admitted into a psychiatric ward for the first time three years ago, she said in a tweet which has gone viral.

The Essex-born student said she felt lost, hopeless and consumed by the idea of ending her life at that time, reports the Daily Record.

But the tweet ended with the revelation that she was now returning to a psychiatric ward – this time as a student mental health nurse.

**Chloe said she was admitted to a psychiatric ward when she had suicidal thoughts**

She also shared two photos – the first showed her looking downcast and teary-eyed in a grey hoodie as she prepared to go into hospital as a psychiatric patient.

The second pic showed her beaming and looking professional in her grey nurses scrubs.

She posted: “Three years ago today I was taken into a psychiatric ward for the 1st time.

“I was lost, hopeless, consumed by the idea of ending my life.

“Today I walk into a psychiatric ward as a student mental health nurse for my first day of placement.

“Things change, they don’t stay hard forever.”

**But now Chloe is ready to become a psychiatric nurse**

And Chloe’s life-affirming tweet quickly racked up support and likes as her story went viral across the platform.

Her tweet has garnered up almost 20,000 retweets and over 130,000 likes since it was posted.

Thousands more replied with messages thanking Chloe for her honesty.

One wrote: “From someone who struggles daily with Mental Health issues and needs the help/support MH workers provide, a massive thank you for your decision to work with others who need that help.

“You will be an asset to all you work with and I wish you all the best.”

The post has been retweeted more than 20,000 times

Another said: “This is amazing!! Best tweet I’ve seen for ages. So glad you managed to get through it and your first hand experience and understanding will be invaluable. Best of luck in your career – I’m sure you’ll be fantastic!!”One posted: “Literally in the same position as you. 4 years ago I was in hospital for taking an overdose and seeing no way out of my hell of a life. I’m now a student mental health nurse and I’m the happiest I’ve ever been.”

And another added: “I feel this. I was in and out of hospitals with mental health issues and struggled for a long time. This is brilliant! well done!! 4 years ago I was in sectioned in hospital and this year, 5 years later I will qualify as a mental health nurse! I can’t speak for anyone else, but using my experience and illness to do this truly gave me my spark back.”

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‘Damning’: suicide rates in Dundee higher than any other Scottish city

Dec 6, 2018 | Carseview, Crisis Centre, NHS, NHS failures, NHS Scotland, NHS Tayside, NHS Tayside Inquiry, Nicola Sturgeon, Not in Vain for Lee, Scottish Government, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Suicide risk, Talking, The Scottish Suicide Information Database

Suicide rates in Dundee are higher than any other city council area in Scotland, according to a new report.

The Scottish Suicide Information Database also shows that men accounted for three-quarters of suicides across Tayside in the last seven years.

According to the report, there were 164 deaths caused by suicide in Dundee with an average of 16.7 per 100,000 population between 2011 and 2017.

Angus along with Perth and Kinross Councils recorded 98 and 126 suicides respectively.

For Tayside as a whole, 388 suicides were recorded with an average per 100,000 population of 14.1.

Men were more likely to take their own lives, with the rates across Scotland highest among those aged 35-54 and in deprived areas.

Nearly three-quarters of those who died had contact with healthcare services in the year before their death.

An inquiry is currently under way into NHS Tayside’s mental health services after a number of concerns surrounding the Carseview Centre.

Phil Welsh, whose 28-year-old son Lee took his own life last year, said the latest statistics were “damning”.

He said: “It’s clear that there’s a situation here that isn’t working.

“I think the fact there is an inquiry shows there’s something amiss.

“Mental health is a discussion point now but it’s all well talking, we need support for people afterwards and that is why we badly need a crisis centre.”

A spokeswoman from NHS Health Scotland said: “National suicide prevention programmes need to incorporate a comprehensive public health approach which seeks to reduce stigma, improve mental wellbeing in the whole population and address the underlying causes of poor mental health.”

Link to Evening Telegraph article here

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