FAI Probe Into Sarah Aitken Death at Gartnavel Hospital – Glasgow 2026

Key Points

• A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) will be held after 59-year-old Sarah Aitken was found dead on a stairwell on Balmoral Street in Glasgow on 15 August 2022
• Sarah Aitken died weeks after being admitted to the Rutherford Ward at Gartnavel Royal Hospital in June 2022, a mental health ward for severe and enduring mental health difficulties
• The inquiry will examine the adequacy of risk assessment, care planning, and adherence to relevant policies by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
• The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS), Scotland’s death investigation authority, stated the circumstances raised “serious public concern”
• The FAI is discretionary, deemed necessary by the Lord Advocate because the death occurred under circumstances warranting serious public concern
• Andy Shanks from COPFS confirmed the initial notice allows FAI proceedings to begin under the Sheriff’s guidance
• The inquiry will explore whether opportunities were missed to prevent Sarah Aitken’s death
• Gartnavel Royal Hospital provides inpatient psychiatric care for the west end of Glasgow population, with Rutherford House Ward treating individuals aged 16-65 with severe mental health difficulties
• The case has implications for mental health service accountability and patient safety standards across Scotland

Glasgow (Glasgow Express) June 11, 2026 – A fatal accident inquiry (FAI) is to be held after a woman was found dead on a stairwell on a street in Glasgow weeks after being admitted to a mental health ward, marking a significant development in Scotland’s oversight of mental health care services.

Sarah Aitken, 59, died on Balmoral Street on 15 August 2022, weeks after being admitted to the Rutherford Ward at Gartnavel Royal Hospital in June 2022. The inquiry will explore the circumstances of her death, including the adequacy of risk assessment, care planning, and adherence to relevant policies by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, as well as whether opportunities were missed to prevent her death.

As reported by the BBC News team of BBC News, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Scotland’s death investigation authority, said the circumstances of the death caused “serious public concern”.

This designation is critical because it determines whether a discretionary FAI is necessary under Scottish law.

Andy Shanks from the COPFS remarked,

“The Lord Advocate believes that the unfortunate death of Sarah Aitken occurred under circumstances that warrant serious public concern, thus a discretionary fatal accident inquiry is necessary”.

The filing of the initial notice allows for FAI proceedings to begin under the Sheriff’s guidance, according to the same BBC report.

Why Was a Discretionary FAI Deemed Necessary for This Case?

The 2016 Act makes an FAI mandatory in cases of deaths which occurred in Scotland in legal custody, the death of a child required to be kept or detained in secure accommodation, or as a result of an accident that occurred in the course of employment or occupation.

Other FAIs are held on a discretionary basis where the Lord Advocate considers that the death was sudden, suspicious, or unexplained or occurred in circumstances giving rise to serious public concern, and that holding an FAI is in the public interest.

Under subsection (3) an FAI is mandatory if a person died in Scotland as a result of an accident in Scotland, in the course of the person’s employment or occupation. Under subsection (4) an FAI is mandatory if a person has died in Scotland and was in legal custody, or was a child required to be kept or detained in secure accommodation.

Section 4 reproduces the effect of section 1(1)(b) of the 1976 Act to give the Lord Advocate discretion to require an FAI to be held into a death in Scotland if the Lord Advocate considers that the death was sudden, suspicious or unexplained or occurred in circumstances which give rise to serious public concern, and that it is in the public interest to do so. Subsection (2) provides that the power to hold discretionary FAIs does not apply to a death where a mandatory FAI is required.

What Services Did Rutherford Ward at Gartnavel Royal Hospital Provide to Sarah Aitken?

Gartnavel Royal Hospital is a mental health facility based in the west end of Glasgow, Scotland, providing inpatient psychiatric care for the population of the West of the City.

The hospital houses a series of separate wards located throughout the hospital grounds, with McNair House, Rutherford House and Henderson House wards providing care and treatment for individuals from 16–65 years of age who are experiencing any of a wide range of mental health difficulties of a severe and/or long-term nature.

As documented on NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde’s official website, Rutherford House Ward – Adult provides care and treatment for individuals from 16 – 65 years of age who are experiencing wide-ranging mental health difficulties of a severe and/or enduring nature.

The ward has formed close links with the Arndale Resource Centre, Riverside Resource Centre and the intermediate services located at Whittingham Gardens.

The hospital’s Intensive Psychiatric Care Unit (IPCU) has gained the Quality Network for Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit accreditation by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, making it the first of its kind in Scotland to receive this accreditation for its care of acutely mentally ill patients. Patients in the unit have severe and enduring mental health difficulties.

What Risk Assessment and Safety Planning Policies Does NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Follow?

Within the NHS GG&C programme, five national work streams have been identified, including Risk Assessment and Safety Planning.

Mental Health Outcome Measures collected include the rate of violence and aggression per ward, percentage of patients engaged in violent and aggressive behaviour, rate of patients being restrained per ward, and percentage of patients being restrained per ward.

The programme also monitors the percentage of patients who experience one or more episodes of seclusion. These outcome measures are critical for evaluating the adequacy of care planning and risk assessment that the FAI will examine in Sarah Aitken’s case.

In NHS GG&C two wards were involved in the pilot work for risk assessment and safety planning, which has now extended to fourteen wards in Phase 2 with more wards showing interest in becoming involved.

What Does the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service Say About Death Investigations in Scotland?

The Crown Office Procurator Fiscal Service which oversees death investigations in Scotland, noted that the circumstances surrounding this case have raised “serious public concern”.

If a death occurs in a violent or unnatural manner, in custody, or suddenly but without certain cause, the Procurator Fiscal has a duty to inquire into the death.

In other circumstances, an FAI may be held where there are issues of public safety or matters of general public concern arising from a death, and there is a need to highlight hazardous or dangerous circumstances or systems that have caused or contributed to it.

In addition to their role in relation to the prosecution of crime, fiscals investigate sudden deaths and the circumstances surrounding them.

FAIs are mandatory into deaths resulting from accidents at work or deaths in legal custody. However, if it appears to the Lord Advocate to be expedient that an inquiry should be held into the circumstances of a death on the grounds that it was sudden, suspicious or unexplained, or has occurred in circumstances such as to give rise to serious public concern, then a discretionary FAI may be held.

Recent figures show that a patient takes their own life in Scotland’s mental health hospitals nearly every five weeks on average, according to new data.

This statistic underscores the broader context of patient safety concerns in mental health facilities that the FAI addresses.

Background of the Development: Sarah Aitken’s Case and Glasgow Mental Health Services

The tragic death of Sarah Aitken on Balmoral Street in Glasgow has become a focal point for examining mental health care accountability in Scotland. At 59 years old, Sarah Aitken was admitted to the Rutherford Ward at Gartnavel Royal Hospital in June 2022, where she received care for severe and/or enduring mental health difficulties.

Gartnavel Royal Hospital, located at 1055 Great Western Road in Glasgow, has been providing inpatient psychiatric care for the west end of Glasgow population for many years.

The hospital serves as a venue used by the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland and some parts are classified as a category A building deemed “at risk”.

The Rutherford Ward specifically treats individuals from 16-65 years of age experiencing wide-ranging mental health difficulties of a severe and/or enduring nature. The ward operates on a referral basis and has formed close links with multiple resource centres in the Glasgow area.

Sarah Aitken died on 15 August 2022, just weeks after her admission to the mental health ward, on a stairwell on Balmoral Street.

The location and timing of her death raised immediate questions about the adequacy of risk assessment and care planning provided by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, Scotland’s official death investigation authority, determined that the circumstances surrounding Sarah Aitken’s death caused “serious public concern”.

This determination is critical because it triggers the discretionary FAI process under the 2016 Act.

Andy Shanks from COPFS confirmed that Lord Advocate believes Sarah Aitken’s death occurred under circumstances warranting serious public concern, thus necessitating a discretionary fatal accident inquiry. The initial notice filing allows FAI proceedings to begin under the Sheriff’s guidance.

The inquiry will specifically examine whether opportunities were missed to prevent Sarah Aitken’s death, including the adequacy of risk assessment, care planning, and adherence to relevant policies by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. This represents a significant accountability mechanism for mental health services in Scotland.

The case emerges in a context where recent figures show a patient takes their own life in Scotland’s mental health hospitals nearly every five weeks on average. This statistic highlights the broader challenges facing mental health care provision across the country.

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Prediction: How This Development Can Affect Mental Health Patients, Families, and NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde Staff

This fatal accident inquiry will have significant implications for multiple stakeholders across Glasgow’s mental health care system. The outcomes and recommendations from the FAI could fundamentally reshape how NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde approaches risk assessment and care planning for mental health patients.

For mental health patients admitted to facilities like Gartnavel Royal Hospital, the FAI may result in enhanced safety protocols and more rigorous risk assessment procedures. If the inquiry identifies gaps in current policies, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde will likely implement updated guidelines that could improve patient protection.

The national work streams identified within the programme, including Risk Assessment and Safety Planning, may receive increased attention and resources.

Mental health patients’ families can expect greater transparency and accountability from mental health services. The FAI process itself demonstrates that serious public concern regarding patient deaths triggers formal judicial scrutiny. This mechanism provides families with an official avenue to question care decisions and policy adherence when tragic outcomes occur.

The inquiry’s focus on whether opportunities were missed to prevent Sarah Aitken’s death could lead to mandatory changes in discharge planning and post-ward support systems. Families may see improved communication protocols between hospitals and community support services, potentially reducing risks for patients transitioning back to their homes.

For NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde staff working in mental health wards, the FAI outcomes could necessitate comprehensive training updates on risk assessment and safety planning.

The fourteen wards currently participating in Phase 2 of the risk assessment programme may expand their protocols based on inquiry findings. Staff might face increased documentation requirements and more frequent safety audits to ensure adherence to relevant policies.

The identification of “serious public concern” by COPFS sets a precedent that could trigger discretionary FAIs for similar cases across Scotland.

This means mental health service providers throughout the country may face increased scrutiny of their care planning and risk assessment procedures, potentially leading to standardized improvements in patient safety nationwide.

The FAI’s examination of adherence to relevant policies by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde could result in policy revisions that affect daily operations across all mental health wards. Staff may need to adapt to new protocols for monitoring high-risk patients and implementing safety interventions.

Given that a patient takes their own life in Scotland’s mental health hospitals nearly every five weeks on average, this inquiry represents a critical opportunity to address systemic issues contributing to patient deaths.

The recommendations emerging from the FAI could significantly reduce this alarming statistic by improving care standards across Scottish mental health facilities.