Investigation of psychiatric unit following patient suicide

Safety officers yesterday began an inspection of the largest psychiatric unit in the West.

Officials from the Health and Safety Authority arrived at the unit in University College Hospital amid growing concerns for the safety of patients and a detailed complaint about conditions at the unit by a senior staff member.

The complaint which was sent to the HSA on May 16 outlines the recent tragic suicide of a patient who absconded from the unit and the ‘near-miss’ of another patient who also absconded. It is understood the latter patient was later discovered in a serious condition after self-harming.

The HSA was urged by the complainant to carry out “an urgent Health and Safety audit” of the staffing levels at the acute psychiatric unit.

The letter of complaint points specifically to “the ongoing dangerously low staffing levels at the unit on a daily and nightly basis”. Last week there were believed to be 47 patients in the unit which has a capacity for 42.

These included three “special nursing” patients and five high-risk patients, each of whom required 15-minute monitoring. A “high level” of patients at the unit were detained under the Mental Treatment Act, while the activities area had been closed all last week and was closed on a regular basis ‘thus denying patients recourse to a daily activities programme as is required by their care plans’.

In addition, the complainant points to a high level of sick leave among staff and “an unacceptable high level of stress”. Risk assessments submitted to management appeared to be largely ignored and morale seemed to be at an all-time low, the letter of complaint states.

“There appears to be no agreement as to what core minimum staff levels should be”.

The letter adds: “The short staffing situation is an ongoing problem and there are occasions where even nursing agencies are unable to provide staff for the ward.

“It is imperative that a Health and Safety audit on staffing levels be carried out immediately as there is much fear among staff for their safety and welfare at work due to the volatile nature of the work environment and the continuing short staffing situation”.

Yesterday Galway-based Fianna Fáil spokesman on Mental Health, Colm Keaveney insisted that there was no 24-hour security at the unit, in addition to overcrowding, a lack of beds and patients being discharged too early.

He confirmed that he has written to the Mental Health Commission and the Mental Health Inspectorate on the issue.

"We were promised the sun, moon and stars when 22 psychiatric beds were closed in Ballinasloe, but we now have a situation in Galway where patients are being discharged prematurely because of bed pressure for incoming admissions and the staff simply cannot provide best care".

“This is putting vulnerable people out into the community at a time when 40per cent of mental health posts provided for under the government strategy remain unfilled for 2013-2014”.

“Mental health is clearly the poor relation in the health service. It’s collapsing at the seams”, Deputy Keaveney said.