A Tayside mother whose soldier son took his own life has backed claims that more could be done for traumatised servicemen.
Some 17 months after 22-year-old Black Watch soldier Aaron Black died as he struggled to come to terms with his experiences in Afghanistan, June Black believes that little progress has been made to ensure further tragedies are prevented.
Tormented by what could have been, Mrs Black from Rattray is pressing for a fatal accident inquiry to be held into her son’s death in an effort to establish how he “fell through the cracks” of help on offer and to identify a better system of support for young soldiers who have witnessed the horrors of war.
As part of her painful journey to establish what happened, Mrs Black has obtained Aaron’s classified medical records, which paint a bleak picture of a young man desperately in need of support and assistance as he re-entered civilian life.
The records for the former Blairgowrie High pupil said he had “depressive symptoms and trauma symptoms from Afghanistan, is still jumpy with dreams and flashbacks”.
Under the heading ‘risk’ the report said “he continues to have suicidal thinking, accepting it is worse when he has been drinking”.
These extracts were written by a consultant psychiatrist who referred Aaron to the community mental health nurse (CMHN) for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
The notes reveal that after Aaron missed his second appointment for trauma-focused CBT, he was contacted by phone a few days before his exit date in May 2011, when he said he was doing well but felt he would still require some support after leaving 3 Scots.
The CMHN, after telling Aaron he would be referred to “ensure that his needs are met”, records “referral to Mental Health Social Worker I would be grateful if you could makeassessment of his needssupport during this transitional period” and passed on Aaron’s mobile number to make an appointment.
It was at this point Mrs Black feels that there was a failure in the system, with Aaron finding himself unsupported.
“I know he was never followed up,” said Mrs Black, who in discussion with the authorities has been told their position is that the social worker had only been made aware informally, not with a formal referral, of Aaron’s needs.
She believes this is a “systemic failure” and, had the care system been different, her son might have enjoyed a different outcome. But in December 2011, surrounded by treasured photographs and his army medals, Aaron sent a text to his mother before taking his own life.
A decision is still pending on whether to hold a discretionary inquiry into her son’s death.