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Five injuries every day at mental health units in north and north-east

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Concerns have been raised after it emerged an average of almost five people are injured every day in mental health units in the north and north-east.

NHS Grampian accounted for the third highest number of incidents involving staff, patients and visitors in Scotland last year, with a total of 1,335.

A further 377 were recorded at NHS Highland’s mental health units, as well as 20 at NHS Western Isles.

Across Scotland, figures obtained by the Scottish Conservatives show there were 8,519 incidents resulting in injury in facilities in 2017/18 – almost the equivalent of one an hour.

However, the total represented a slight fall on the previous year, when there were 9,101, and was down in the figure for 2015/16, when there were 8,721 injuries.

The data, obtained through freedom of information requests, revealed incidents including assaults, accidents such as falls, trips and burns and substance abuse.

Scottish Conservative mental health spokeswoman Annie Wells said: “Everyone accepts that mental health wards can be extremely challenging both for patients and staff and, as such, incidents involving injury are bound to occur.

“But, at the same time, more clearly needs to be done to reduce the thousands which occur each year.

“All political parties agree that mental health deserves parity of esteem with physical health.

“But if that is to be the case, these units have to become safer for workers and patients, and clearly that will take a great deal of effort and focus.”

A spokeswoman for NHS Grampian said: “The health and safety of our patients, staff and visitors at all our hospitals and clinics is of paramount importance to us. We work hard to eliminate the risk of injury as much as we can.

“It should be noted these figures cover a whole range of injuries, from slips, trips and falls to violent or aggressive behaviours, to those which are self-injurious, or those caused by fellow patients.

“It is also important to realise incidences of this nature involving patients generally occur due to an underlying medical condition which causes the individual to behave in these ways.”

Mental Health Minister Clare Haughey said: “It is welcome that the number of injuries has fallen and we are absolutely clear that everyone should be able to feel safe whilst receiving treatment or working in our mental health services.

“As we work to further improve our mental health services, the experience of patients, their families and staff are key to reshaping treatment and support.”