Dundee’s Carseview Centre under fire again over treatment

Controversial Carsview Centre has come in for more criticism after a barrage of complaints by former patients.

A number of former patients have contacted the Tele following reports of a death at the centre and criticised their treatment.

Now MSP Monica Lennon is calling for a probe into the claims.

She said: “It’s clear that there is something deeply wrong at Carseview and that NHS Tayside is failing to rebuild public trust and confidence in crisis mental health care.”

“These are very serious allegations and the former patients who have come forward should be commended for their courage.

“This is not an easy thing to do and they must get the right support if they decide to formalise their complaints. The Health Secretary wake up to what is happening and take urgent action.”

Meanwhile, two more ex-patients have come forward to voice their concern at the conditions they endured during spells in the centre.

One man, aged 52, from Dundee, said: “There should be some kind of inquiry.

“Are they waiting until someone dies or is seriously hurt before they are going to act?

“I was in Carseview back in 2013 for three weeks after a breakdown and was basically made to feel like a prisoner when I was escorted about the place.

“There seems to be no management structure in place. You get a little brown pill, or a little blue pill to calm you down. But you hardly meet any doctors and after you do then there is no follow up.

“You are like a case study, a guinea pig.

“You are brought in, escorted to your room and then the journey begins down hill.”

He added: “There is no segregation so there are patients who are psychotic mixing with others who are suicidal and others who have had a slight breakdown. It’s not right and it is time someone stepped in and did something about it.

“I actually made an official complaint when all my clothes that had been brought in disappeared. Nobody could find them and I kept complaining and tried to phone them up but they said they were too busy, or I just got fobbed off with emails and nothing much happened.

And another ex-patient from Dundee, a 60-year-old man, said he was admitted four times as a voluntary patient after feeling suicidal.

He said: “I witnessed lots of things going on that were wrong. And one time I saw four male staff who were trained, pinned down a young girl and stick a needle into her thigh.

“There should be a full investigation into what has been going on.”

NHS Tayside said it was unable to comment on individual cases, but urged former patients with complaints to contact them.