An independent team has warned it will take years to address failings in Tayside mental health services, despite a ‘great deal of positive changes’ taking place since a damning review reported more than a year ago.

An inquiry began into Tayside’s mental health services in 2018 after a series of alleged failings in patient care, including the suicide of David Ramsay in 2016 after he was refused treatment at the Carseview mental health centre.

The final report of the two-year long inquiry published in February 2020 – led by David Strang, a former Chief Inspector of Prisons for Scotland and former Chief Constable of Lothian and Borders Police – concluded senior leaders had presided over a ‘breakdown in trust and respect’ that led to failings in care, as well as a shortage of consultant psychiatrists.

The 2020 report also highlighted some patients, families and carers had been made to feel that staff viewed them as ‘troublesome, antagonistic…and not to be trusted’.

In response, NHS Tayside produced an action plan accompanied by an engagement programme with patients, staff, families, third sector bodies and others.

But much of this ‘real opportunity’ seems to been missed, according to David Strang and the review team who have published a follow-up report today. They highlight that nearly all those appointed to lead the plan were from NHS Tayside, that there was a rushed engagement process that at times felt like a ‘tick box exercise’, and some responses were left ‘unacknowledged and ignored’.

Today’s report from the same independent inquiry team looks at progress since the 2020 review.

‘There have been some very positive developments such as the mental health discharge hub and the local mental health hubs planned in each Health and Social Care Partnership area’, the report states.

‘There have, too, been some missed opportunities for listening to people and engaging with partners in order to build trust. It is hoped that this Review will provide a fresh opportunity to build on the early response to the Trust and Respect report’.

Two headline recommendations made in 2020 focused on eliminating bullying and harassment across Tayside mental health services, and developing a new culture based on trust and collaboration.

Within 13 months both of these recommendations were marked as ‘green status’ by Tayside officials. Today’s report however concludes that achieving culture change of the magnitude required was ‘not credible or realistic’ within such a short time frame and efforts would need to continue over several years.

Read more: Piecemeal approach to serious NHS errors handling; Interim chair to stay on at health board; ‘Breakdown in trust’ – Tayside mental health services; NHS Tayside chair steps down weeks into role; Mental illness detentions reach record levels

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