Young people 'still at risk' in Borders, inquiry told

A fatal accident inquiry is being held into Harris Macdonell's death

The mother of an autistic teenager who took his own life after being sent to an adult psychiatric unit has said young people are still at risk and are being let down by a lack of services in the Borders.

A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) is being held at Jedburgh Sheriff Court into the death of 19-year-old Harris Macdonell in 2020.

His mother, Dr Jane Macdonell, told the hearing that such incidents were still happening in the region and it was "not good enough".

The hearing in front of Sheriff Peter Paterson continues.

Harris Macdonell took his own life in August 2020.

He had been admitted to the adult psychiatric unit, Huntlyburn Hospital, near Melrose, because there was no space in the Young Persons Units in Edinburgh, Glasgow or Dundee.

"I understand that if you have a 16-year-old acutely unwell, you may have to put them in an adult unit overnight to sort things out," his mother told the inquiry.

"There is no way he should have been in that unit for 10 or 11 days.

"That was not a safe place for him. It was traumatic for him and that was never explored."

Asked what she was looking for from the FAI, Dr Macdonell said that, in her opinion, there was not nearly enough knowledge and skill within the professional services in autism in the Borders.

She also said it was appalling that a report from the health board concluded that there were no clinical failures in Harris' death.