Scottish Government to monitor NHS Tayside

Report’s author will undertake update in a year to gauge improvement

The Scottish Government has pledged to monitor NHS Tayside following the publication of Dr David Strang’s damning report into mental health services across the region.

Mental Health Minister Clare Haughey accepted the report unveiled a litany of shortcomings in mental health provision in the region.

She said: “I’m grateful Dr Strang has agreed to undertake a progress update in February 2021 to ensure the required improvements have been made.

“The Scottish Government will monitor NHS Tayside’s progress through the continuation of the NHS Tayside Oversight group and will continue to seek assurance that the required improvements are being implemented, working alongside Cosla to ensure health boards, local authorities and health and social care partnerships are supported to work together across Scotland to build on the Strang report recommendations.

“In order to establish a national approach to the quality and safety of mental health services and ensure that the themes and concerns identified within the Tayside Independent Inquiry are not present elsewhere in Scotland, the first meeting of the new Quality and Safety Board will be held later this month. I am looking forward to chairing this meeting which Dr Strang will be attending. This will act as an appropriate platform to share the learning from the report with other partners.”

NHS Tayside chief executive Grant Archibald said: “The publication of today’s report delivers a challenging set of recommendations.

“We are determined to make the significant changes needed to deliver on this opportunity and rebuild confidence in services.

“For the staff involved in providing mental health services, whose voices are also very strong in the report, we know that they are working hard to support vulnerable people of all ages every day and collectively we must support them.”

“Determined to make the significant changes needed

Picture: Steve Brown. Mental Health Minister Clare Haughey.