A senior clinical psychologist claimed yesterday he was intimidated and bullied after drawing attention to the "horrific" treatment of a resident who was transferred to Leas Cross nursing home in Dublin. Carl O'Brien, Social Affairs Correspondent, reports.
Dr Mark Harrold (44), who worked at St Michael's House, a disability service-provider in north Dublin, says he raised concerns with his employers and board over a decision to transfer a 60-year-old disabled resident, Peter McKenna, to Leas Cross.
The patient had Down syndrome and Alzheimer's disease and died in October 2000, two weeks after his admission to the nursing home. Dr Harrold had been concerned that the home was not an appropriate setting for someone with such special needs.
Management at St Michael's House, however, have rejected the claims and say the decision to transfer Mr McKenna to the home was vindicated by an independent report into his claims.
Counsel for St Michael's, Tom Mallon, said Dr Harrold was engaging in a campaign that was not connected to his employment.
"It is clear that this is an attempt to have an inquiry into Leas Cross nursing home and other matters . . . It is an abuse of process to use this tribunal to address matters of public importance," he said. There was not a "scintilla" of evidence to support Dr Harrold's bullying claims.
Dr Harrold claims that after raising concerns about Mr McKenna's treatment and a culture of bullying in the organisation, disciplinary proceedings were taken against him to intimidate and undermine him. St Michael's House offered to establish two subcommittees to examine his grievances. However, Dr Harrold objected to their composition which, he said, included members linked to the culture of bullying in the organisation or who had significant business interests with the group.
In June 2002 he wrote to then minister for health, Micheál Martin, which led to an investigation by Martin Hynes, the former chief executive of the Irish Blood Transfusion Board. This investigation initially found no grounds for Dr Harrold's complaints but has since been reopened and is due to report shortly.
A month later, Dr Harrold said, he received a letter from St Michael's House over concerns about his professional conduct which included eight allegations, many of which related to his role as a "righteous advocate" for patients. Disciplinary proceedings followed. Dr Harrold said the claims were "manufactured" and "entirely spurious".
"I felt, 'Here we go, this is it'. This is a campaign that is going to damage me, to put stress on me which, ultimately, that I may not be able to endure," he said.
He resigned in March 2004 after running into numerous "brick walls" in seeking to have his concerns addressed, he said.
Mr Mallon said the Hynes report found that Dr Harrold's complaints were "unfounded" and it was appropriate to move Mr McKenna to the nursing home. The decision to transfer Mr McKenna - who was a ward of court - was ultimately taken by the president of the High Court.The case has been adjourned until January 16th.