Health board apologises to teenage patients at Glasgow psychiatric unit after 'cruelty' allegations

A health board has launched two investigations following allegations of cruelty at a mental health facility for teenagers in Glasgow.

Young people who were treated at Skye House – a 24-bed psychiatric hospital on the grounds of Stobhill Hospital which provides care for 12 to 18-year-olds – described it as “hell”, as reported by the BBC.

Patients who were interviewed by the Disclosure series were admitted between 2017 and 2024, and reported staff being quick to resort to forceful restraint, to over-medicate and to use abusive language.

One young woman said she was described as “disgusting” and forced to clean up her own blood after self-harming.

Named by the programme as Cara, she said: “They would give me wipes, and I’d be made to wipe the floor. It felt like a punishment, as if I’d done it on purpose.

“I just felt like I was constantly punished for things.”

While Jenna – who spent nine months at the unit beginning at age 16 – said: “It was hell, like a prison kind of environment.”

The health board announced the launch of an investigation into the quality of care at the facility and an independent review of the unit.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) apologised to patients who “had not received the level of care they expected” at the unit.

The health board noted staffing challenges meant agency and bank staff worked in the unit to meet demand – despite lacking experience with patients with complex needs.

They said appropriate action had been taken to address staffing levels in the last 18 months.

Dr Scott Davidson, medical director at NHSGGC, said: “A number of the experiences described by patients were reported when they took place. We are grateful to our young patients for speaking up.

“Each one was fully investigated, action was taken at the time the issue was raised, and lessons learned to improve our care.

“Other issues have not been previously raised with us and we are actively engaging with the patients highlighted in the programme to discuss their experiences and provide answers to any additional questions they may have.

“In light of these experiences and of the accounts of other patients, a full review of the quality of care has been launched. We have also asked for an independent review of the unit.

“We strive to treat all our patients with respect, dignity and compassion, and to deliver safe and effective patient-centred care.

“However, we acknowledge some patient experiences have fallen below these standards, and we are very sorry for this.

“We continue to take any complaints extremely seriously, and we are committed to providing patient-centred care in line with national guidance and mental health legislation.

“I would encourage any family member or patient who might have any concerns or questions about the care provided to them at Skye House to contact us, we are keen to hear from you.”

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