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"Concerns Emerge Over Prolonged Restraints in Children's Psychiatric Care"
Concerns are rising over the use of prolonged restraints in childrens psychiatric care in Scotland, highlighting the distressing experiences of patients like Grace Vickers at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People.
- Grace Vickers, a 22-year-old patient, described her traumatic experience of being restrained for over 1.5 hours during forced feeding tube procedures at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh.
- During her nearly two-year stay in the Melville Unit, Vickers underwent nasogastric feeding tube placement at least three times daily, frequently accompanied by restraints, raising alarms about mental health practices.
- The Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland and Healthcare Improvement Scotland are now investigating the implications of such practices, amid broader discussions on mental disorder management in Scotland.
Why It Matters
The prolonged use of restraints in psychiatric care raises ethical and safety concerns, reflecting a need for reform in mental health treatment practices. As Scotland grapples with these issues, the experiences of patients like Vickers could drive significant policy changes to improve care standards.