§ 31. Mr. Gordon Wilsonasked the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has considered the findings of the fatal accident inquiry into the death of Michael Shirkey while a patient at the State mental hospital at Carstairs; if he will hold an internal review of the arrangements under which young people are held in institutions for the adult criminally insane; if he will establish separate facilities for psychiatrically disturbed youngsters in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. YoungerI understand that the sheriff made a formal determination of death caused by bilateral pneumonia, with no finding of negligence on the part of either medical or nursing staff, and that he recommended that consideration be given to having certain equipment at the hospital. The transcript of evidence giving the sheriff's summing-up in full is, however, not yet available. This will be studied by the committee of management of the State hospital and myself as soon as it is received. The equipment recommended— a special thermometer and thermal blanket—is meanwhile being obtained.
As regards the accommodation available in Scotland for holding psychiatrically disturbed young persons, I propose to review the situation in the light of reports on psychiatric services which are at present being prepared for the Scottish Health Service Planning Council by the programme planning group on mental disorder.