INSPECTORS have called for safeguarding improvements at a young people’s mental health unit after patients report they can feel “scared and unsafe.”

The recommendation came from a Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland follow-up visit to the Edinburgh Royal Hospital for Children and Young People’s Melville Unit in March, after a visit in May 2025 raised concerns around the use of restraint.

While noting “the service had made progress overall,” with an 84 per cent fall in the use of restraint, inspectors still found some young people experiencing high levels of stress and distress, occasionally leading to violence and aggression towards staff and other young people.

The commission recommended managers do more to ensure safeguarding procedures are followed and all available options to manage risk are considered, including “proportionate and therapeutic use of restrictive interventions where necessary.”

Welcoming the report, NHS Lothian’s Jillian Torrens said: “The safety of our patients and staff is our top priority, and we take any concerns and recommendations extremely seriously.

“We will continue to strengthen our safeguarding processes and keep patients and families informed as we work through our focused improvement plan.”