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Hospitals ordered to make patient safety improvements after suicides

Google A picture of the Lorn and Islands Hospital in Oban taken from Google StreetviewGoogle
The Health and Safety Executive launched an investigation after a patient took their own life at the Lorn and Islands Hospital in Oban

Two Scottish hospitals have been ordered to take measures to reduce suicide risks after two patients took their own lives, BBC Scotland can reveal.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued an improvement notice to the Lorn and Islands Hospital in Oban for failing to adequately reduce the risk of patient suicides.

An improvement notice has also been issued to Wishaw University Hospital for similar issues on one of its mental health wards.

The HSE said the orders followed the suicide of a patient at each hospital.

NHS Lanarkshire said it was unable to comment on the case as it was subject to ongoing legal proceedings, while NHS Highland said it was working to ensure the risks identified are reduced.

Last month BBC Scotland News revealed how a woman took her own life in the Royal Edinburgh psychiatric hospital despite her son giving a nurse “clear evidence” that she was planning her suicide just hours before she died.

The improvement notice issued to NHS Highland for the Lorn and Islands Hospital is dated 15 August and has to be complied with by January next year.

It states that not enough steps have been taken "to reduce, as far as is reasonably practical, the risks posed to patients by ligature anchor points".

A spokesman for NHS Highland said: "We work closely with the HSE to continuously improve patient and staff safety, and to ensure risks identified are reduced.

"The safety of both patients and staff is paramount to the continued delivery of high-quality services."

NHS Lanarkshire Outside of Wishaw University Hospital in North Lanarkshire NHS Lanarkshire
The HSE improvement notice for Wishaw University Hospital was issued in August

The improvement notice issued to NHS Lanarkshire for ward one in Wishaw University Hospital is dated 15 August and states it has to be complied with by 10 October.

It also states that not enough steps have been taken "to reduce, as far as is reasonably practical, the risks posed to patients by ligature anchor points".

BBC Scotland asked NHS Lanarkshire if it had complied with the notice. A spokesperson said: "We are unable to comment on this matter as it is subject to ongoing legal proceedings."