Chamber and committees

Petitioner submission of 4 August 2021

PE1871/C: Full review of mental health services

I am writing this submission in response to the Scottish Government submission to the petition calling for a review of the mental health services.

In my view, mental health services have been failing individuals and families since before the COVID-19 pandemic so I agree with the Scottish Government submission that services cannot go back to how they were before. However, I have not seen any good services throughout the pandemic and services appear to have worsened.

My partner Luke Henderson took his own life on the 29th December 2017, after trying to gain support 8 times during the week before he took his own life. Risk assessments were carried out and it was determined he was a low risk of suicide despite me voicing my concerns. He was turned away without any safe plans in place or even any medication to ease his symptoms. I was left alone trying to help him as well as raise two children. They did not listen to me, which resulted in Luke taking his own life. Luke’s case is not unique, as many others feel the same as I do. Now, families have united from across Scotland to call for a review into mental health services. We want to work together towards a fit for purpose mental health service.

In relation to the suicide prevention action plan, targets do not appear to be on track. Part of the action plan was to reduced suicide death by 20% by 2022. However, in 2019, suicide deaths increased by 6% from 2018. With the stresses from COVID-19, I anticipate that these statistics will be even higher this year once they are released. The action plan looks good on paper but on the front line, I do not think it works. It is good to tell people to speak out and seek help but most the time when people do ask for help, they are not listened to and such pleas seem to fall on deaf ears, which was the case for Luke and many of the families who have joined me in this petition.

Now I will tell you about the lack of support me and my family have received after the death of Luke. I waited 12 months to gain any support though the NHS for PTSD and grief. Following Luke’s death, my GP did a referral to mental health services for members of my family and both referrals were rejected, citing that they required bereavement counselling instead.

Over the last few years things have spiralled out of control to the point one member of my family was suicidal, and another has shown risk taking behaviour. One of them started self-harming and I struggled to get her proper support from CAMHS. When she eventually got seen, she had 4 sessions and told it was bereavement counselling she needed. 10 months have now passed, and she is yet to receives any other support.

My other family member, who has been diagnosed with autism, was seen by CAMHS after he put himself in a very dangerous situation. During lockdown he was only able to see his worker though video link which is no good for him due to his autism. My family have received very little early intervention and only when they had put themselves at risk was a small amount of support giving.

Mental health needs to be top priority. Lessons must be learned from past mistakes in order to ensure the same mistakes are not repeated. There is no shame in admitting the system is broken and needs repaired. I believe that this is the only way we are going to have a fit for purpose mental health service.