THE FAMILY of an intellectually disabled woman who died in controversial circumstances three years ago has called for an official inquiry into her treatment.
Lynda Lamb (46) died on April 26th 2007 in Beaumont Hospital following a brain haemorrhage. Her sisters say she was badly neglected by health authorities over many years.
In the years prior to her death they say she ended up homeless, despite the family’s attempts to find proper care for her. In addition, they say she never properly recovered from an attack in the Phoenix Park a year before her death in which she was raped and badly burned.
The HSE said three years ago it would conduct an internal inquiry into the circumstances surrounding her death. However, the family says it is not aware of any inquiry that was carried out and has yet to hear back from the health authorities.
“Lynda was treated with disrespect. As a family, we feel we were made to feel like we were a burden when we went looking for help for her,” said Lynda’s sister Sandra Lamb. “What we want now is a public, independent inquiry into how she was treated by the HSE,” she said.
Yesterday Lynda’s sisters staged a protest outside the HSE’s area offices at Dr Steevens’ Hospital in Dublin and the social work offices on Mountjoy Square.
According to the family, Ms Lamb had been complaining of headaches and dizziness in the days before she was taken to the hospital, but say her complaints were dismissed. At the time of her death, Ms Lamb was a resident in St Joseph’s Intellectual Disabilities Service, on the grounds of St Ita’s psychiatric hospital in Portrane, Dublin. Prior to this she had been been homeless. She was the mother of nine children, all of whom were taken into care.
