Seanad debates
Thursday, 7 November 2002
Report of the Inspector of Mental Hospitals, 2001: Statements.
The Minister of State referred to the incidence of suicide on a national basis. There were nine cases of suicide among psychiatric patients during 2001 and the inspector has requested all services to review all cases of suicide in their service with a view to scrutinising existing clinical management and risk assessment of patients for the possibility of self harm. The inspector recommended continuation of the practice of transferring of intellectually disabled people into more appropriate care facilities to enable them to receive skilled and specialised care not generally available in psychiatric hospitals. He emphasised the need for a local register to be established for investigation of complaints and outcomes to be audited. I hope action will be taken on those recommendations.
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