Scottish patients ‘sent as far as Devon for mental health care’

More than 1,000 mental health patients have been sent out-with their health board for treatment in the past three years, according to new figures.

The research found one person from Glasgow was asked to travel 480 miles to Devon and to parts of London for treatment.

The equivalent of 17 people a week battling conditions such as eating disorders, severe depression and learning disabilities were asked to travel "out of area''.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde says it only happens on a very small number of occasions when facilities are not available locally

Highland was the health board with the largest number of transfers at 295, followed by NHS Fife at 229.

Tory mental health spokeswoman Annie Wells said: "There will always be cases when it's in the patient's best interests to be sent elsewhere for treatment.

"But the scale of these figures suggests some health boards in Scotland just aren't equipped to deal with a range of conditions.

"All sides of the political debate in Scotland agree that mental health should have a parity of esteem with physical health.

"But if that's to be the case, people need to be able to rely on their own health board for treatment."

An NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde spokeperson said: "On a very small number of occasions patients requiring mental health care and treatment may be admitted to units outwith the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area.

"This will be if they have a particular specialist need or require immediate access to mental health services which are unavailable locally."