A 'restricted patient' has absconded from a hospital in Glasgow.

An urgent appeal has been launched to trace Lee McFadyen, 33, who vanished from a hospital in the city's south side at around 11.45am on Sunday.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: "We are keen to trace this patient as soon as possible and if anyone sees him or has any information regarding his whereabouts, they should contact Police Scotland on 101 or your local police office."

Mr McFadyen is described as being 5ft 10in tall, with black hair, fair complexion, brown eyes. 

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He was last seen wearing black rimmed glasses, a black parka jacket with grey fur hood, grey jumper, grey t-shirt, blue jeans and black trainers.

According to the government website, restricted patients are persons detained in hospital under a compulsion order with a restriction order.

It added "They have usually committed an offence punishable by imprisonment but as a result of mental disorder are not imprisoned but ordered to be detained in hospital for treatment, without limit of time.

"They are dealt with through a programme of treatment and rehabilitation - the aim being to prevent recurrence of offending by dealing with the mental disorder."

It's thought there are around 290 restricted patients in the system at any one time.

Just over half are detained in the State Hospital with the remainder detained in local psychiatric hospitals or living in the community on conditional discharge.