28-04-2025
'Sleeping pills, anti-depressants and inescapable anxiety': 'Grim' Raac health toll revealed by Torry doctor
An Aberdeen doctor has revealed the horrifying health toll the Raac crisis is having on his patients.
Adrian Crofton, lead clinician of Torry Medical Practice, spoke candidly to The Press and Journal as part of our Trapped by Raac campaign.
While maintaining patient confidentiality, he revealed:
'I think it's fair to say that this [Raac crisis] has had a far worse impact on health than was ever anticipated,' said Dr Crofton. 'The real question is, why wasn't it anticipated?'
Torry Medical Practice is the largest primary care provider in Torry, treating more than 7,000 people.
Since news broke that 504 households in his area were affected by Raac, the medical practice has reported scores of individuals needing additional medical support.
'We have now implemented a code so we can track the people who have a health issue as a direct result of Raac.
'This isn't for people who, say, have a pre-existing condition and live in a Raac house.
'This is about people who now have a health issue that we are actively treating because of the Raac crisis.'
At time of writing Dr Crofton confirmed that there are 60 people on the practice books known to have a Raac-related health issue.
'That doesn't tell the whole story. Even with that number, each of those people will have families impacted, either by the same set of issues or with the fact a relative is needing medical help or isn't coping.
'We went to the council a year ago about this. Even at an early stage, the health impacts were staggering.'
Describing the stress his patients are under as 'unremitting' and 'inescapable,' he confirmed that medication to help aid sleep and antidepressant pills are being prescribed.
'We are prescribing sedatives, sleeping medications and antidepressants to people who would not otherwise have needed these.
'And these are not medications we use needlessly.
'There are quite considerable levels of distress arising from this process. Themes that come through constantly are betrayal, uncertainty, powerlessness, injustice, loss of community, financial fears, and regret that they can no longer leave much to their children.
'There's a lot of anger.
'We stick to prescribing guidelines when it comes to these medications but we are often left with very little choice.'
As well as the mental and psychological effects of the crisis, now nearly 18 months on from the first notice that Raac could be in the Balnagask homes, there are physical implications too.
'The effects of stress on physical and mental health are intertwined.
'There are very well-established links between heart disease and long-term stress.
'It's the duration of this that's most troublesome. This is long-term, sustained pressure that these people can't escape from. There's no holiday they can take, or rest they can have from this.'
Dr Crofton has also seen patients revert to alcohol as a means to aid sleep or 'forget' the situation.
'We know that being under stress can make you relapse. You'll see… well, we are seeing, people slipping back into the things they had become free from.
'It's common in consultations to hear of people reaching for a drink to help them sleep.
'Excess mortality from alcohol is already a problem. We have some very young people with seriously advanced alcohol issues.'
Families worrying about their relatives and their children is also taking a toll, he says.
'In conversation with young mums, they worry about two things. They are really concerned about empty houses in terms of how safe or unsafe it is for their kids. Many worry about letting their children out to play anymore.
'And they worry about the friendship groups, or lack of them, because most [of their children's friends] aren't there anymore. They've moved.
'For lots of people directly impacted by Raac, their family units have been broken down as well. You pull on that thread and you get the story of a family who were only in that [Raac] house because they moved to be nearer someone they were looking after.
'That led to local jobs and local schools for kids and now, as a result of being displaced or knowing they will need to move, all that's up in the air. They need to travel to work, childcare is gone, and the children have been disrupted. Social care costs will increase too.
'I really don't think they estimated or had any imaginative attempt to consider these effects when they were considering options.'
Dr Crofton says Torry Medical Practice was never approached by Aberdeen City Council, as part of the options appraisal process, to provide any information on health ramifications.
'I attended meetings at the time, and looked at the correspondence. Nobody came to us to ask what we thought the effects of this would be.
'In fact, we had to go to the council and say, by the way, health is an issue here.'
In February and March 2024, Dr Crofton says Torry Medical Practice expressed its concerns to ACC.
Firstly, they requested that patients would be able to move to new practices in a controlled manner so that care could be transferred safely.
Secondly, the displacement of 500 households could impact practice viability.
While the housing department of ACC did supply the practice with detailed lists of numbers proposed to be moving, with approximate time frames, Dr Crofton claims no proper health impact assessment was done.
'To my knowledge there was no health impact assessment as part of the options appraisal. When they were deciding whether to fix the houses or demolish them, none of that, as far as I know, considered the health of those in the houses.
'It does feel reckless. How can you not have a careful, detailed health impact assessment as part of your options appraisal?'
We took these claims to Aberdeen City Council.
We asked whether health outcomes were taken into consideration during the appraisal process, if there were any detailed health assessments done, and if there were, we asked to see them.
ACC was also asked if it wished to respond to an accusation of recklessness.
An Aberdeen City Council spokeswoman said: 'An integrated impact assessment was undertaken as options were explored. Discussions were undertaken at senior level with the Integrated Joint Board.'
Dr Crofton continued: 'This isn't a party political statement. Most of the people I speak to seem to be happy with frontline workers who have dealt with them. But at a higher level, I see no reason to contradict the feelings my patients have of betrayal and abandonment.
'There's been appalling levels of snobbery too. Off the cuff comments – even from councillors – like 'why would you even want a house there?'
'From my perspective, as someone who knows these families, most of the time when you visit these homes you meet hardworking people, in well-maintained homes, who are good, good people. The cheap stereotyping does not help.
'The health and wellbeing of Torry people is suffering. It's pretty grim.'
Regarding ongoing support, the council confirmed it continues to work with the community to engage with people in RAAC-affected properties through Housing Support Officers.
Additionally, 'as part of that ongoing support, we have commissioned services from SAMH (Scotland Action for Mental Health). These are available to any resident or family member who feels affected by the issues in Balnagask.'
