A woman whose partner took his own life claims she was repeatedly refused help and “abandoned” in the week before he died.
Karen McKeown is campaigning for changes to mental health provision after the death of Luke Henderson.
She made an emotional appeal to MSPs on the Public Petitions Committee yesterday, where some members were close to tears.
Father-of-two Luke was suffering from hallucinations and “had become mentally unwell” in December 2017.
Despite repeated visits to accident and emergency departments, calls to GP surgeries and the NHS 24 helpline, Karen said: “Every time we were turned away and abandoned.
Scots woman falls for prisoner serving seven years for armed robbery in US jail
“I made it clear Luke was planning on taking his own life. Time after time, I pleaded for help.”
She found her partner dead on December 29.
“Luke’s case is not unique,” she said. “The same failures are happening up and down the country.
“We urgently need a mental health service that is fit for purpose.
“I need to look my children in the eye and tell them their dad did not die in vain.”
A petition from Karen and Gillian Murray – whose uncle David Ramsay took his own life after being sent home by NHS Tayside despite three suicide attempts in four days – has gathered nearly 900 signatures.
They are calling for round-the-clock crisis support and fatal accident investigations into suicides where the deceased has been in contact with the health service in the three months before their death.
Karen said a review into Luke’s death – which happened one day after he told NHS staff he was suicidal – found medics had not considered him to be mentally ill.
NHS Lanarkshire said a review found the correct procedures had been followed.
Mum pens heartbreaking tribute to 'sweet baby' son who took his own life on Arran
Conservative MSP Brian Whittle, who sits on the committee, was close to tears as he told how he once accompanied someone close to him to a GP after three suicide attempts.
Whittle said: “As a last roll of the dice, I said to the GP, ‘If this person does succeed in taking their own life, I will tell everyone that I’d been in that GP’s surgery and raised this with him’.
“It was only in saying that the GP then agreed to take some positive action.”
Monica Lennon, Labour health spokeswoman, said: “The fact we don’t have integrated health and care information, where there are gaps, people fall through those gaps.”
The committee agreed to take the petition forward, as well as writing to the Scottish Government, charities and mental health services for more information before considering their next steps.
