The health board in charge of a psychiatric hospital at the centre of a probe into patient suicides is facing legal action from one of the affected families.
Tracy Swan had filed papers with the Court of Session in Edinburgh following the death of her daughter Jodie at Murray Royal Hospital in Perth.
Jodie McNab spent five days in a coma prior to her death May 22 2013. The 22-year-old had been admitted to Murray Royal just nine days before she died.
Her mother Tracy Swan set up the Lighthouse for Perth charity in the wake of her loss, with the hope of providing a safe space for self-harmers.
In addition to the civil court action, Tracy hopes an investigation by the procurator fiscal into Jodie’s death, and those of two other patients, will result in a fatal accident inquiry.
She said: “We are hoping that the legal action will improve the service and empower those who have found themselves in the same situation.
“I took Jodie there to be safe, so for this to have happened to her is just unbelievable.
“As a family, we are hoping for a fatal accident inquiry.
“We have spoken to negligence experts who have told us the hospital does have something to answer for in Jodie’s case.
“There will never be closure for us, no matter what the outcome of the legal action might be but all we can do is to try to prevent other people having to go through this.”
In May, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service confirmed an investigation was under way into the circumstances of three deaths at Murray Royal Hospital Perth, between May 22 2013 and November 4 2015.
It is understood that all three deaths took place on the secure Moredun ward.
A spokeswoman for NHS Tayside said: “As this is a legal matter it would not be appropriate for us to comment.”
