Charities call for halt to review of services

Groups hit out at plans amid serious abuse allegations at Dundee facility

Health chiefs are under growing pressure to halt a controversial review of mental health services, amid an ongoing probe into serious abuse allegations at Carseview in Dundee.

Charities in Perth have condemned NHS Tayside for pressing ahead with talks on a shake-up that could see vital mental health provision transferred out of Murray Royal Hospital to the psychiatric centre based at Ninewells.

Stakeholders, mainly charities, are due to meet health bosses on Tuesday to discuss the next stage of the process.

PLUS Perth, which offers lifeline support to hundreds of people across Perth and Kinross, is demanding negotiations are held off until a separate inquiry into accusations of abuse at Carseview is completed and recommendations are agreed.

The investigation was launched following a campaign by families who blame care standards at the centre for a series of suicides and other incidents.

Calls to halt negotiations on the Mental Health And Learning Disability Service Redesign Transformation Programme have also been backed by Perth-based charity Mindspace.

Susan Scott, manager at PLUS Perth, said: “I would imagine those four families (involved in the investigation) would find it extremely offensive for NHS Tayside to push their agenda before even awaiting the inquiry report and recommendations,” she said.

“The proposed meeting is a precursor to future expenditure for the transformation programme. As the inquiry is still ongoing, a reasonable person could surmise that any recommendation that runs contrary to the programme would be money wasted.”

“The problem with going to the meeting is you will be counted as someone they heard and who has been consulted. Having the meeting now is, literally, out of order.”

Jillian Milne, manager at Perth-based Mindspace, said: “There is absolutely no reason they cannot wait until the inquiry is completed.”

An NHS Tayside spokeswoman defended the ongoing negotiations.

“Following approval of the new model of care for General Adult Psychiatry and Learning Disability inpatient services in Tayside in January, we have begun work to prepare for the implementation of the new service models,” she said.

“As part of this implementation work we need the support of all those in contact with our services to help us ensure that the accommodation and the services provided best meet the needs of everyone. We organised the engagement event inviting them to come along and give us their feedback.

“We have responded to the email from Plus Perth, offering further information and reassurance regarding the purpose of the event. We look forward to welcoming all our stakeholders to the event next week.”

The problem with going to the meeting is you will be counted as someone they heard and who has been consulted. Having the meeting now is, literally, out of order