Edinburgh Teen Mental Health Unit Fails Safety Checks

Inspectors continue to express concerns about the safety of young people at Edinburgh's Melville Unit, an inpatient facility for teenage mental health patients aged 12 to 17. A recent visit in March by the Mental Welfare Commission (MWC) noted that while some procedures have improved since a May 2025 inspection, processes for protecting patients and staff from violence and aggression require further development. Some children described experiencing feelings of being "scared and unsafe" at times.

The 12-bed unit, part of the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, treats adolescents with various mental health conditions. The latest inspection highlighted significant stress and distress among young people, sometimes leading to aggressive behaviour towards staff and peers. Concerns also noted the use of physical restraint, particularly for nasogastric feeding, though senior managers reported an 84% reduction in its use.

NHS Lothian stated that patient and staff safety is its highest priority and that it is taking the commission's concerns and recommendations seriously. The health board plans to strengthen safeguarding processes and inform patients and families about a focused improvement plan. This follows unannounced inspections across Scotland's adolescent mental health units ordered in 2025 after allegations of a "culture of cruelty" at Glasgow's Skye House, which also reported significant concerns in a February inspection.