Attack alarms for Carstairs staff as ‘they fear for lives’
£10m security deal after violent incidents
THE State Hospital which houses some of Scotland’s most dangerous offenders is to have a £10 million security upgrade after staff complained that they feared for their lives. A major safety overhaul at Carstairs, in Lanarkshire, includes new attack alarms for employees. The State Hospital, which houses around 120 patients, published details of the two-year project last week, saying it would ‘renew, refresh and enhance’ current technology. The measures will include a personal attack alarm system and digital radios for staff, a new CCTV system, the upgrade of the security control centre and state-of-the-art ‘tubestiles’ – enclosed, reinforced glass portals which fit only one person at a time at entrances and prevent unauthorised access and exit. A perimeter intruder detection system and automatic numberplate recognition cameras will also be introduced.
The July board meeting papers confirm that the upgrade will cost £10,346,263.
The Carstairs board was told the plans would ‘improve safety and security’ and there would be a ‘risk to service’ if it was not carried out.
A new safety system was installed during a £90 million rebuild eight years ago but whistleblowers said that some kit was not fit for purpose, warning that wireless personal alarms regularly failed and that back-up devices – a pager and a radio – were ‘useless’.
The annual cost of keeping a patient at Carstairs has doubled in the past ten years to approximately £300,000.
Patient numbers have halved while the £30 million annual budget has been maintained.
Staff threatened to walk out, with one employee warning that he felt his ‘life was in danger’ after a violent criminal – transferred to the State Hospital after slashing a prison guard using blades hidden under his fingernails – is alleged to have lashed out at nurses sent to his room.
Ewan MacDonald, 26 – who has been in jail since he was 16 for offences including attempted murder – had only been in Carstairs for a matter of days when the incident was reported in late 2018. After the attack, the Scottish
Government called on the facility to carry out a critical incident review.
The union Unison, which represents some staff at Carstairs, said safety fears had prompted demands for improvements.
Regional organiser Janet Stewart said: ‘We will work with employers and others to ensure everyone at Carstairs is as safe as possible.’
Scottish Tory justice spokesman Liam Kerr said: ‘It is extremely worrying that after a major safety upgrade only eight years ago, staff are in fear for their lives.’
A Carstairs spokesman said: ‘The State Hospital provides specialist individualised assessment, treatment and care in conditions of high security for patients with major mental disorders and intellectual disabilities.
‘The patients, because of their dangerous, violent or criminal propensities, cannot be cared for in any other setting. The State Hospital is committed to maintaining a modern, effective, and robust security infrastructure.’
‘Effective and robust infrastructure’