Latest news with #FatalAccidentInquiry
ITV News
6 days ago
- Health
- ITV News
Scotland's mental wellbeing minister apologises to family of teenager who took his own life
Scotland's mental wellbeing minister has apologised to the family of a teenager who took his own life after spending time in an adult psychiatric ward. Tom Arthur also said he would meet with Harris Macdonell's family and admitted the lack of age-appropriate beds for young people suffering from severe mental health issues was 'unacceptable.' He was responding to calls from Harris' mother Jane, for 'real action' to address the lack of beds for children and young people. She said: 'My message to them is that we don't want to hear any more platitudes about this. We want some real action and we want a strategy for how they are going to address this. I realise it is a complicated issue, but there have to be better options than what Harris experienced and that's the bottom line.' Mr Arthur said: 'It shouldn't have happened and I am deeply sorry that it did happen. There is significant investment underway to expand the range of services that CAMHS can provide and that includes acute inpatient psychiatric support as well.' He added: 'What happened to Harris was completely unacceptable. I think the people in Scotland can have confidence in our health and social care service, but when the service provided is not what's required and when there are failings, lessons must be learned and I am committed to making sure that we do learn those lessons.' Harris Macdonell died on August 19th 2020, at the age of 19, near his home in Lilliesleaf in the Scottish Borders. In 2018, aged 16, Harris spent nine nights in Huntlyburn, NHS Borders' adult psychiatric ward near Melrose, before a bed became available in a young persons unit in Edinburgh. Last week a Fatal Accident Inquiry said that it was 'wholly inappropriate' for young people to be treated in adult wards. It concluded Harris' death couldn't have been prevented. Jane, who worked as a paediatric consultant for 30 years, is convinced her son's experience in an adult unit was responsible for him failing to talk with health professionals in the final months of his life. She said: 'He was never the same boy again. He found it difficult to attend appointments, he gave very little away, he was guarded. I think his reluctance to engage was really fear to engage with them from that point onwards.' 'The absolute bottom line is that you have a young person in an adult ward, who's becoming distressed, that needs to be an emergency. That's not acceptable.' Figures obtained by the Scottish Conservatives show that, since Harris was in Huntlyburn ward in 2018, there have been 57 admissions of children and young people. Official figures show that across Scotland, in the year up to March 2024, 59 under-18s were treated in adult facilities. A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'We expect children and young people who need inpatient mental health care to be looked after in age-appropriate specialist facilities. 'On occasions where young people are placed within an adult ward this will be monitored and reviewed regularly to ensure that the young person is receiving the most appropriate treatment and care.' NHS Borders said: 'The purpose of the Inquiry was to establish the circumstances of Harris' death and to consider what steps, if any, may be taken to prevent other deaths in similar circumstances. Our staff have engaged fully and openly with the Inquiry. We respect the Sheriff's determination that, in considering the evidence submitted, Harris' death could not have been predicted or prevented.' Samaritans Samaritans provides round-the-clock support for people when they need it most. You can call them 24 hours a day on 116 123. They also have tips if you're concerned about someone you know. Mind Mind provides advice and support to help anyone experiencing a mental health problem. They also campaign to improve services, raise awareness and promote understanding. You can call them Monday to Friday between 9am and 6pm on 0300 123 3393. You can also text them on 86463. Papyrus An organisation aimed at helping people under the age of 35. You can call them on 0800 068 4141. You can call them on 0800 1111 at any time. They also have a 1-2-1 counsellor chat online.
Daily Record
17-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Baby boy tragically dies at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary after being 'injured'
The two-month-old boy has tragically passed away. A two-month-old baby boy has tragically died at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary after being 'injured'. Police raced to the Infirmary after receiving reports of a young baby in hospital having been hurt on Wednesday, June 11. It was confirmed by officers that the infant had sadly passed away following the incident, which is now being probed, reports Aberdeen Live. The force has said that enquiries to establish the circumstances of the 'unexplained' death are ongoing and that a report is due to be sent to the procurator fiscal. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 12.30am on Wednesday 11 June 2025, we were made aware of an injured two-month-old baby boy at Royal Aberdeen Children's Hospital. "He died a short time later. His family is aware. "The death is being treated as unexplained and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances. "A report will be sent to the Procurator Fiscal in due course." On Saturday, in a separate incident, we reported that the parents of a baby who died at Scotland's largest hospital told of how they felt blamed for the death of their daughter. Tiny Freya Murphy was born with significant brain and organ damage after a catalogue of failures at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow led to her death. Her parents Karen and Martin were devastated when they had to allow Freya's life support machines to be switched off when she was just seven days old. A Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) found staffing shortages, medics' failure to notice that the baby was in distress as well as a lack of screening for Group B Streptococcus were factors in the youngster's death. However the couple have said they have been left with more questions than answers after the FAI which took seven years to conclude. Dad Martin, 44, from Cambuslang, near Glasgow, said: 'It was the worst thing anyone could imagine happening to them. We left that hospital with no baby and no answers.' An NHSGGC spokeswoman said: "We would like to extend our sincerest condolences to the family of Freya Murphy, and once again to apologise for the distress they have experienced. "Freya's death was the subject of a Fatal Accident Inquiry. We have received the recommendations of this and are working to implement them in full. This includes carrying out a review of staffing levels, and, in line with a recommendation on Group B Streptococcus, we plan to make a formal approach to the UK National Screening Committee." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you. Follow us on Twitter @Daily_Record - the official Daily Record Twitter account - real news in real time. We're also on Facebook - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the Daily Record, Sunday Mail and Record Online
Daily Record
17-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Baby boy tragically dies after being 'injured' at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
Officers were called to the hospital following an incident which saw a young baby injured. The two-month-old boy has tragically passed away. A two-month-old baby boy has tragically died after being 'injured' at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. Police raced to the Infirmary after receiving reports of a young baby in hospital having been hurt on Wednesday, June 11. It was confirmed by officers that the infant had sadly passed away following the incident, which is now being probed, reports Aberdeen Live. The force has said that enquiries to establish the circumstances of the 'unexplained' death are ongoing and that a report is due to be sent to the procurator fiscal. A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "Around 12.30am on Wednesday, June 11, we were made aware of an injured two-month-old baby boy at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. He died a short time later. His family is aware. "The death is being treated as unexplained and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances. A report will be sent to the procurator fiscal in due course." On Saturday, in a separate incident, we reported that the parents of a baby who died at Scotland's largest hospital told of how they felt blamed for the death of their daughter. Tiny Freya Murphy was born with significant brain and organ damage after a catalogue of failures at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow led to her death. Her parents Karen and Martin were devastated when they had to allow Freya's life support machines to be switched off when she was just seven days old. A Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) found staffing shortages, medics' failure to notice that the baby was in distress as well as a lack of screening for Group B Streptococcus were factors in the youngster's death. However the couple have said they have been left with more questions than answers after the FAI which took seven years to conclude. Dad Martin, 44, from Cambuslang, near Glasgow, said: 'It was the worst thing anyone could imagine happening to them. We left that hospital with no baby and no answers.' An NHSGGC spokeswoman said: "We would like to extend our sincerest condolences to the family of Freya Murphy, and once again to apologise for the distress they have experienced. "Freya's death was the subject of a Fatal Accident Inquiry. We have received the recommendations of this and are working to implement them in full. This includes carrying out a review of staffing levels, and, in line with a recommendation on Group B Streptococcus, we plan to make a formal approach to the UK National Screening Committee." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you. Follow us on Twitter @Daily_Record - the official Daily Record Twitter account - real news in real time. We're also on Facebook - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the Daily Record, Sunday Mail and Record Online
Daily Record
15-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Parents of week old baby who died at QEUH 'felt blamed' for their daughter's death
SUNDAY MAIL EXCLUSIVE: The family said they have faced a long wait for answers. The parents of a baby who died at Scotland's largest hospital have told how they felt blamed for the death of their daughter. Tiny Freya Murphy was born with significant brain and organ damage after a catalogue of failures at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow led to her death. Her parents Karen and Martin were devastated when they had to allow Freya's life support machines to be switched off when she was just seven days old. A Fatal Accident Inquiry (FAI) found staffing shortages, medics' failure to notice that the baby was in distress as well as a lack of screening for Group B Streptococcus were factors in the youngster's death. However the couple have said they have been left with more questions than answers after the FAI which took seven years to conclude. Dad Martin, 44, from Cambuslang, near Glasgow, said: 'It was the worst thing anyone could imagine happening to them. We left that hospital with no baby and no answers.' Karen, 40, says she had expressed the wish to have a natural birth in the early stages of her pregnancy. However she felt this was later 'held against her' when the FAI medics suggested her wishes as a reason why they failed to intervene sooner during her labour, claiming Karen had said she wanted 'minimal intervention'. She disputes this. Karen, a teacher of children with additional support needs, said: 'I wanted to have as natural a birth as possible which was noted down during the pregnancy and not mentioned again. 'Then suddenly it was mentioned by doctors during the FAI where it came across as an excuse or a defence for the fact they had made mistakes with Freya's birth as it was only mentioned years later. 'I would never, and did not, say I didn't want help. I wanted to do whatever was needed to get Freya out safely and I accepted whatever they told me at the hospital. It felt as if I was being blamed for what happened.' Karen arrived at the QEUH on June 20 2018, but was left in a waiting room for two hours before being checked by medics despite already being dilated and in active labour. She says she felt there was a 'lack of urgency' among staff. Karen had to endure an excruciating procedure to rotate Freya on a labour ward after medics realised the baby was in the wrong position for delivery but the theatre was occupied. Karen said: 'I had to have a manual rotation in the room because there was no other option. I had no pain relief, and it wasn't done in the theatre where it should have been. There was someone else in the theatre and there was only one available.' Martin added: 'The person who was in charge of the ward overnight was also dealing with the other patient who was in theatre so they were taken away from Karen who was the most critical.' Medics had also attached a heart rate monitor directly to Freya's head but failed to notice that she was showing signs of distress. During the FAI Karen's midwife claimed that she had alerted doctors to her concerns about the baby's heart rate but this was contradicted by both the consultant and junior doctor working that night. Sheriff Divers said he favoured the doctors' evidence over the midwife due to inconsistencies between her evidence and that of other witnesses. When medics realised Karen and Freya needed urgent help, it took a further 45 minutes for the youngster to be born - by which time it was too late. Meconium - a name for a baby's first bowel movement - was covering Freya and she was barely breathing when she finally arrived at 9.31am on Saturday July 21, 2018. Martin said: 'When Freya came out she was purple. They put her on to Karen and then over to the resuscitation area. Even at that point we were told this was normal.' Karen added: 'They had not grasped how unwell Freya was at all. Even when she was born we were told 'It's normal for babies not to cry straight away.' 'It was a junior paediatrician who looked at Freya and hit the emergency button. The staff delivering did not have the idea that things had gone so catastrophically wrong.' Doctors spent 17 minutes trying to resuscitate Freya and regain a steady heartbeat. She was transferred to neonatal intensive care and was immediately placed on a ventilator. Her parents looked on in horror after the baby they had been told would be healthy and normal was now in a fatal condition. Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. They later learned that Freya had been starved of oxygen and she had significant brain and organ damage. Karen said: 'Although it was more painful for us to let her go, we knew it was kinder to her. It was absolutely terrible. For a parent it's just a horrendous position and you have to be the one to do it for the sake of your child.' Experts told the FAI the issues were as a result of an infection in the placenta, most likely from Group B Streptococcus, a bacterial infection common among mothers. Karen said if medics had screened for the bug, as they do routinely in many other countries, Freya could still be alive. She also believes staff shortages contributed to the death of her daughter. Karen said: 'If you have a baby outwith Monday to Friday 9-5, it's a completely different experience and the team of people there to support you is vastly different. It shouldn't be that way. Babies can't choose when to be born - they don't arrive to a schedule.' The couple, who now have three children, have never returned to the QEUH for any of the births. Martin said: 'It's been a challenge having more children after the trauma of what happened to Freya. Karen was pregnant again during the FAI which was really hard for her. We just do not want this to happen to another family, and we hope that mistakes are learned from Freya's death.' The couple are being represented by Alan Rodgers, partner at Thompsons solicitors and are now pursuing a civil case against NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Rodgers said: 'The courage shown by the Murphys to secure this FAI has been enormous and they have waited far too long for it to be held. The Inquiry has shone a light on the reality facing clinicians in the modern Scottish NHS. 'At times care is compromised or suboptimal decisions are made purely due to lack of facilities and resources. The cutbacks and penny-pinching in our NHS needs to stop.' Sheriff Barry Divers described the couple's wait for answers as 'simply too long', with the FAI taking seven years to conclude from when Freya died. An NHSGGC spokeswoman said: "We would like to extend our sincerest condolences to the family of Freya Murphy, and once again to apologise for the distress they have experienced. "Freya's death was the subject of a Fatal Accident Inquiry. We have received the recommendations of this and are working to implement them in full. This includes carrying out a review of staffing levels, and, in line with a recommendation on Group B Streptococcus, we plan to make a formal approach to the UK National Screening Committee."
STV News
12-06-2025
- Health
- STV News
Death of prisoner behind bars deemed 'unavoidable'
The death of a prisoner jailed at HMP Kilmarnock has been deemed 'unavoidable' following a Fatal Accident Inquiry. Andrew Whiteford was taken to Crosshouse Hospital where he died on May 31, 2022, whilst in custody. The 38-year-old was diagnosed with hypopharyngeal cancer, which is found in the lower part of the throat, and also had type one diabetes. The prisoner died of natural causes. The Fatal Accident Inquiry ruled 'no precautions which could reasonably have been taken and had they been taken, might realistically have resulted in death being avoided.' Following every death behind bars, a Fatal Accident Inquiry is carried out and the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is required to investigate. Following the publication of the determination, Procurator Fiscal Andy Shanks, who leads on fatalities investigations for COPFS said: 'We note the Sheriff's determination. 'The Procurator Fiscal ensured that the full facts and circumstances of Mr Whiteford's death were presented in evidence at the mandatory Fatal Accident Inquiry. ' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
