The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Tragedy sparks call for hospital security review
A COUNCILLOR wants security measures reviewed at a Perth hospital following the tragic death of one of its outpatients.
Heather Stewart, Conservative councillor for the Perth City Centre ward, yesterday told The Courier she now intends to hold talks with Tayside Police and NHS Tayside regarding the matter, in the wake of police finding the body of a woman at the foot of Kinnoull Hill, Perth, on Thursday.
This followed the disappearance and subsequent search for Doreen McIntyre (55), who was last seen in the grounds of Murray Royal Hospital on Tuesday around 4pm.
Mrs Stewart said neighbouring residents have expressed concerns about security at the hospital for some time.
“The community has been anxious with regard to the development at Murray Royal Hospital and the subsequent security of the site for both patients and visitors alike,” she said.
“I and my fellow ward councillors heard some of these concerns at a recent Bridgend, Gannochy and Kinnoull Community Council meeting. I have personally been liaising with Tayside Police and representatives of Murray Royal Hospital on these matters.”
And following the tragic death on Thursday, Mrs Stewart is pressing for NHS Tayside to carry out an external review of the circumstances involved in the incident.
“Due to the recent tragic events I am now even more concerned and anxious that security requires to be a top priority,” she added.
“To that end, I will be requesting that NHS Tayside commission an external review rather than an internal review into the complete circumstances surrounding this incident to ensure that lessons are learned following this failure to protect the vulnerable.”
Mrs Stewart will now liaise with her fellow ward councillors, the NHS and the police to monitor the situation and at a future date she will convene a meeting with all concerned parties.
A spokeswoman for NHSTayside said it has already begun a review of the incident.
“NHS Tayside has a policy in place which has procedures for staff to follow in the case of a missing patient and these were followed in this instance,” she said.
“We take the safety of our patients very seriously and we have already started a review of the circumstances surrounding this incident.”
Although police have yet to formally identify the body found as that of Ms McIntyre, who lived in Kirkmichael, it is believed to be her and local councillors have paid warm tributes.
Councillor Caroline Shiers described her death as “such a tragic loss.”
“It’s just awful,” she said. “Doreen worked very hard on behalf of the community at Kirkmichael.
“She was one of those people who chucked herself into everything with tremendous energy and ideas.”
And Councillor Bob Ellis said: “I’ve known Doreen for so many years and recently she’s not been that well.
“I always had a great deal of respect for Doreen in what she’s achieved over the years. My thoughts are obviously with her family.”
A police spokesman said of the body’s discovery: “There are no apparent suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident and, as with all sudden deaths, a report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.”