‘Significant and strategic change needed’

More than 1,300 people, including staff, patients and families, contributed to Dr Strang’s independent inquiry into Tayside mental health services.

“I think there is an acknowledgement that significant and strategic change is needed,” he said.

“And the scale and challenge must not be underestimated.”

Dr Strang told the Perth and Kinross Integration Joint Board: “New thinking is required.

“You need to look at how mental health services are going to be delivered in the 21st Century, while there is a shortage of consultant psychiatrists.

“It is true across Scotland, but it is particularly acute here.

“When I was first appointed, I thought that things may improve as NHS Tayside addressed the shortfalls that were identified.

“But things have got worse, particularly on the reliance of locums.

“It means that there needs to be a fundamental redesign of how you can deliver to meet the needs of the community and the needs of patients.”

Dr Strang said the pace and scale of change required was significant.

“My fear is that there might be a temptation to minimise how serious things are and rely on a business-asusual improvement plan and say that that will be sufficient,” he added.

“It needs to be a credible plan that leads to change.

“Sadly, there is a recent history of too many plans that look good and get signed off, but when we as an inquiry have looked for their implementation, we find that it has not been followed through.”

It needs to be a credible plan that leads to change. DR DAVID STRANG