Danielle Scott: doctor denies misdiagnosis

Published on Friday 13 June 2008 16:59

THE psychiatrist in charge of treating a teenage bulimia sufferer who died after taking drugs has rejected claims the girl had been misdiagnosed.

Dr Heather Gardiner, lead clinician at Gartnavel Royal Hospital in Glasgow, said there had been no evidence pointing towards bipolar disorder in Danielle Scott, as was suggested by her parents.

Danielle spent 15 months in the adolescent psychiatry ward aged 14 as a voluntary patient after developing bulimia nervosa and various behavioural problems.

Her parents, Lorraine and James Scott, have told a fatal accident inquiry they wanted her to be committed to a psychiatric hospital because they believed she was mentally ill and possibly bipolar.

Instead, she was allowed to remain at the unit and later became a voluntary resident at the Howdenhall Young Persons' Unit in Edinburgh because her mother could not look after her at home.

Danielle died at the home of drug addict Peter Meaney, 29, after taking methadone and alcohol on a night out from the home. Meaney was later jailed for culpable homicide for giving her the drink and drugs.

Her parents have criticised the decision not to have their daughter confined to a hospital, and claim Danielle should never have been allowed out alone at night when she was at Howdenhall.

At the inquiry at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today, Dr Gardiner said she had been among a team of senior psychiatrist consultants who had ruled out bipolar disorder in Danielle and did not think it was appropriate to commit her to a secure mental health hospital at all during her care.

She said: "Danielle was a very delightful and appealing young woman and when I heard she had died we all reflected hugely on our care of her and thought about whether we could have done things differently.

"I have been through her case notes and I really don't think a different diagnosis could have been reached.

"We never felt that Danielle should go to a different unit."

Gerard Coll, representing Greater Glasgow Health Board, asked if bipolar disorder had been considered.

"We were open-minded to it but we never saw any evidence to raise it into our diagnosis. It just didn't fit the picture," said Dr Gardiner.

She said Danielle had witnessed domestic abuse at home, and had seen father being violent towards her mother more than once.

The inquiry has heard Danielle tried to hang herself with a pair of tights when she was aged nine, around the time her parents separated, and went on to regularly self-harm.

The inquiry, before Sheriff John Horsburgh, continues.