Concerns after death on same ward as three other tragedies

A councillor has raised concerns after a woman died suddenly following an incident in a mental health ward in Perth.

An investigation has been launched into the death of Celine Dinis, 22, from Fife, who passed away in Murray Royal’s Moredun ward on January 4.

Ms Dinis’ death struck less than a year after NHS Tayside admitted guilt in the deaths of three other women on the same ward and was forced to pay £120,000 for criminal failings.

At a meeting of the Perth and Kinross Integration Joint Board (IJB) on Wednesday, February 17, Concillor Callum Purves asked what measures were being taken to avoid similar tragedies.

The Conservative Kinross-shire councillor, who sits on the board, said: “Obviously that’s a particular concern given in that ward we had a previous instance where NHS Tayside had admitted guilt over the death of three women in that ward as well.”

Cllr Purves also touched on a recent incident at Carseview Centre in Dundee.

He asked the chief officer of Perth and Kinross health and social care what assurance he could give on what was being done to address “any of the learning from those sad events that have happened and how we can ensure that such deaths don’t happen again.”

Chief officer Gordon Paterson said: “Absolutely. These are particular tragedies and we have to be concerned about the circumstances and make sure that we pass on our condolences to family members who are affected.”

Mr Paterson pointed to how the leadership of the provision of those mental health services had passed from Perth and Kinross IJB to NHS Tayside in terms of oversight and delivery.

He said his understanding was NHS Tayside colleagues were working through the local adverse event review process.

A report on the January incident at Murray Royal was sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service for investigation.

A spokesperson for the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service said: “The Procurator Fiscal has received a report in connection with the death of a 22-year-old woman in Dundee on January 4, 2021.

“The investigation into the death, under the direction of Scottish Fatalities Investigation Unit (SFIU), is ongoing and the family will continue to be kept updated in relation to any significant developments.”

Story by local democracy reporter Kathryn Anderson