MORE than 7,000 children in Scotland have been admitted to hospital after self-harming over the past decade, official figures released today reveal.
The shocking figures also show that more than 160,000 people aged over 16 have also been hospitalised north of the Border after intentionally harming themselves since 1999.
Ross Finnie, the Liberal Democrat health spokesman, who obtained the self-harm figures using Parliamentary Questions, described them as "desperate cry for help" and demanded ministers take immediate action.
Finnie said: "Our figures show an astonishing number of people have been hospitalised after self-harming over the last decade. That so many people have self-harmed to such an extent that hospital treatment was required, is a desperate cry for help and ministers must respond. Over the last ten years, mental health support has increasingly been provided in the community....
Dr. David P Murray | 12/11/2009
