TOO DANGEROUS FOR PATIENTS

A SCANDAL-HIT super-hospital has been threatened with prosecution after a mental health unit was branded too dangerous for patients.

- MARK HOWARTH

Forth Valley Royal has been ordered to urgently remove ligature anchor points that could be used by people trying to take their own lives.

A patient commits suicide in Scotland's mental health hospitals nearly every five weeks on average, according to figures.

Health and Safety Executive inspectors were called to the Falkirk hospital after an incident involving a patient last September. But bosses failed to change windows and doors on the ward despite admitting they were "high risk".

The revelation comes as a probe continues into the death of a mental health patient at Forth Valley Royal.

Student Jake Llewellyn, 26, died in May 2023 from a suspected heart attack after he was sedated by medics.

It's now five years since NHS boards were told to weed out potential ligature anchors in their units.

The Forth Valley Royal is the third hospital in four months to be served with an improvement notice by the HSE for leaving them in place.