Bereaved campaigner criticises NHS Tayside mental health inquiry

Gillian Murray, whose uncle David Ramsay’s suicide in 2016 was one of the catalysts of the inquiry, said ‘nothing seems to have happened’.

A woman whose uncle took his own life after being sent home by health workers despite three suicide attempts in four days has criticised an inquiry into the services provided.

The Scottish Government commissioned an independent inquiry into mental health services in NHS Tayside after concerns were raised by Gillian Murray after the death of her uncle David Ramsay.

Ms Murray has said “nothing seems to have happened” and claimed families have not been kept involved in the inquiry, despite this being explicitly set out in the terms of reference.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard raised the issue during First Minister’s Questions at Holyrood, quoting Ms Murray as saying: “Nothing seems to have happened.

We’re not kept involved. It’s definitely not been transparent.”

Mr Leonard said: “This is the view of Gillian Murray whose uncle David’s suicide in 2016 was one of the tragedies which led to this inquiry.”

He asked Nicola Sturgeon what she plans to do to “raise the confidence of these families who have lost loved ones because of failures in the system of mental health support in Tayside”.

He also called for the families affected to be shown an advance copy of the inquiry report.

Nicola Sturgeon stressed the inquiry was independent from government and that its report was expected imminently.

She said once the inquiry report is published the Scottish Government will look at it, implement any recommendations made and encourage health boards to do the same, and vowed to learn any lessons required.