Until things change, more young people are going to die.. it is as simple as that
Sheriff refuses to blame anyone at psychiatric unit
A GRIEVING mum has branded the inquiry into her depressed son’s death a whitewash “covering people’s backsides”.
A sheriff ruled Dale Thomson’s death was “unavoidable” despite systemic failures at the Carseview psychiatric centre in Dundee.
Dale’s mother Mandy McLaren said: “Nothing will ever get done if people in the NHS don’t start taking responsibility for their actions. None of these FAIs achieve anything. People are too scared to tell the truth.
“It is a box- ticking exercise for the health boards. It’s all about covering backsides.”
It’s the second time this year Carseview has been criticised for its treatment of patients who took their own lives.
It emerged in May that David Ramsay, 50, was found dead in October 2016 after being sent home and told he should walk his dog.
It has also emerged that 44 patients had to wait a year to begin therapy BY JAMES MONCUR j.moncur@dailyrecord.co.uk at the unit. Dad-of-one Dale, 28, had told his GP in January 2015 of suicidal thoughts and was sent to Carseview for an emergency assessment.
He was sent home but taken back in by police after he threatened to burn down houses. Again he was allowed out and went back to his GP on January 22, reporting the same symptoms. Dale was g i ven an urg e n t assessment at Carseview the following day but was put on medication and told to go back to his GP if he felt worse.
Four days later, on January 27, he was dead.
During a fatal accident inquir y this year, procurator fiscal depute Steven Quither claimed a “chance was missed” by NHS Tayside staff to prevent the tragedy.
He said: “Further assessments should have been considered as Mr Thomson was exhibiting a wide range of bizarre behaviour and had a background of depression. But there was a lack of assessment and a chance missed. It may have led to a different outcome.”
Yesterday, Sheriff George Way released his report in which he said “there were no reasonable precautions whereby the death of Dale Thomson might have been avoided”.
But he listed a string of “relevant” factors relating to his death.
The sheriff said there were “serious systemic failures” in Dale’s care and added: “Whilst I cannot establish a causal link to his death, they are indisputably relevant facts.”
He wrote: “It seems to me that a window of opportunity closed when Mr Thomson realised nothing was actually happening.”
But he concluded: “The failures of Carseview are perfectly clear. They should not have occurred.
“I, however, accept that all these issues have been addressed and corrected. I have, therefore, no recommendations to make for the future.”
Mandy hit back: “This report is one contradiction after another. It’s a joke.
“Until things change, more young people are going to die – it’s as simple as that.”
There was a lack of assessment and chance missed STEVEN QUITHER DEPUTE FISCAL