THOUSANDS OF THESE TRAGIC MENTAL HEALTH DEATHS WERE 'PREVENTABLE'

Questions over fate of vulnerable Scots once they leave care, NHS accused of writing 13,000 fatalities off as natural causes

- SALLY HIND

THOUSANDS of vulnerable people died within a year of being discharged from mental health care in Scotland's biggest city, harrowing figures have revealed.

Almost 2500 discharged patients have died as a result of mental health struggles or self-harm in Glasgow since 2020 - while more than 1300 lost their lives to alcohol and drug abuse.

A campaigner who uncovered the "heartbreaking" figures claims a lack of follow-up care may be contributing to "thousands of preventable deaths".

Marius Samavicius, 33, said: "NHS data writes off over 13,000 of these post-discharge deaths as 'natural causes', a term that brings to mind unavoidable illnesses like cancer or old age. But this classification could hide a more disturbing possibility.