The struggle of a Glasgow family campaigning for a change to self-isolation rules in psychiatric wards has been raised with Nicola Sturgeon.
Louisa and Lauren Boulazeg launched a petition calling for guidance for long-term hospital patients to be brought into line with that for the public after their brother was forced to undergo his seventh period of isolation at Gartnavel Hospital.
The 29-year-old was still required to isolate alone in his room after another patient on the ward tested positive.
He wasn't allowed any visitors despite public guidance currently stating that household contacts can end isolation if they are negative on lateral flow and are fully vaccinated.
The family believes the rules are causing 'distress and trauma' and could be impacting his recovery.
Even after the end of his most recent isolation, the family is living in fear that they'll have to go through a period of separation again in the future.
A petition set up calling for a change in the guidance has attracted nearly 5,000 signatures and was raised in the Scottish Parliament by Glasgow MSP Paul Sweeney.
Speaking to Glasgow Live, Lauren Boulazeg explained: "We're feeling really hopeful. My brother is out of isolation now but we do feel that that period has really set him back. He's definitely still struggling so we're really apprehensive about this happening again.
"While this current period is over, it's still hanging over our heads and his head as well."
READ MORE - Glasgow family pleads for covid rule change in psychiatric ward amid isolation fears
NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said that they try to accommodate visiting where ever possible and will allow essential visiting during an active covid outbreak for patients who meet the 'guidance'.
Sadly for the Boulazeg family, their brother didn't meet the guidance.
"Their view is that my brother wasn't distressed enough to warrant visitation or him leaving the ward. I would say if someone says they're feeling distressed, no one can tell them that they aren't. As a family, we know our brother really well and we know how distressed he is", Lauren said.
"The last time I spoke to them (NHSGGC) from the conversation it was very much that they were holding the hard line on this, from the start of the conversation they weren't going to change their minds. We are hoping that they will look at the evidence and be a lot more open-minded about it.
"The best thing to come out of this would be a good outcome for my brother and so many other people that are in long-term stay hospitals."
Paul Sweeney asked Nicola Sturgeon whether she agrees that the 'barbaric practice' of self-isolation periods on mental health wards must be ended and whether she will ensure that long-term patients have an unequivocal right to social contact with their family and next of kin.
In response, the First Minister said she agreed but there are 'some difficult decisions and difficult balances that healthcare professionals have to strike to keep people safe from the risks that the virus does pose'.
She added: "I hope Paul Sweeney would accept that no one is seeking to be cruel in these decisions, they are difficult decisions that have a difficult impact on patients and their families, I absolutely agree that the human rights and the well-being of patients, particularly long-term patients in our hospitals is absolutely paramount.
"I'm happy to ask the Health Secretary to look into the particular constituency case that has been raised."
We previously told how the Boulazeg family had been caring for their brother for a number of years while he was struggling with his mental health.
At the age of just 18, he was involved in a car crash caused by a drunk driver in which his mum tragically lost her life.
After deciding that they could no longer cope on their own, they decided to have him sectioned in February of 2020.
In light of his seventh period of self-isolation on the ward, they decided to speak out about the situation in a bid to raise awareness and hopefully change the policies.
Lauren added: "Speaking out wasn't a decision that we took lightly and we would rather have not had to go down this route. We want to protect our brother at all costs but we don't regret our decision.
"There is still a huge stigma about people in mental health wards. We hope people might hear the story and feel encouraged or relate to it or start to understand more what things are like for people in long-term mental health wards, how things really do need to change.
"It's taking a long time because there is a reluctance to talk about it.
"We wouldn't want anyone to go through the same thing as us. The bottom line is that my brother's story isn't an unusual one.
"I think that when you go through it with your family you feel so isolated and alone in it and you just want some support - other people commenting on it has shown that we're not alone. While on one hand that is reassuring on the other hand it is also really sad.
"When his latest period of isolation ended we just cuddled him so much and we were so happy to see him. It was a relief to be able to spend time with him and see that he's OK. It's so important to have contact when anyone is going through a hard time. You need family and friendship support.
"To see him again we were just absolutely ecstatic, it felt lovely, but underneath that, there was the worry of how are we going to go through this again."
Paul Sweeney MSP said: “Callum’s story is absolutely harrowing, and when I was contacted by his family it was abundantly clear that the procedures and guidance preventing him from seeing his loved ones had to change.
“We know the adverse impact that not seeing loved ones can have on those who are experiencing difficulties with their mental health. It is often the case that the only thing getting them through the dark days is knowing that their family and loved ones will be able to visit and provide them with some comfort. That’s why it is so important that the First Minister intervenes and changes the absurd policy which is in place currently.
“During the initial Covid lockdowns, people in care homes were deprived access to their loved ones in the same way as Callum is now. The cognitive impact of that policy was condemned at the time as a scandalous breach of their human rights. That same cognitive impact is exactly what Callum is now experiencing and the situation is utterly intolerable.
"I have no doubt that Callum’s case is the tip of the iceberg and there will be many others being subjected to the same damaging policy. If, as a society, we have any intention of addressing the impending mental health crisis, scrapping these draconian restrictions must be the first step.”
To sign the petition calling for a change in guidance, visit here.
