Mayo family ‘frustrated and angry’ in fight to access deceased patient’s hospital records
A Mayo family has become angry and frustrated over ongoing delays in gaining access to the records of a deceased family member who spent 12 years in St. Mary's Psychiatric Hospital in Castlebar after spending time in the Tuam mother and baby home where she gave birth to a baby girl in 1949.
Carmel Larkin, Tuam, and her daughter Amanda, Ballinrobe – both formerly of Lawn Park, Castlebar – are at loggerheads with the HSE in securing the records of Carmel's mother, the late Winifred Smyth, of Breaffy, Ballina.
Amanda told The Connaught Telegraph her grandmother was imprisoned in the Tuam home until, at the age of 39, she was admitted to the former St. Mary's Psychiatric Hospital in March 1950, after spending a short period in the County Home (now Sacred Heart Hospital) in the town.
Winifred was a patient of the facility for 12 years until she passed away on September 24, 1962. She was buried in a mass grave beside the hospital, a headstone erected in honour of all deceased patients at the site over a decade ago.
The family has been informed a medical history, along with three and a half pages of notes, were kept on the late Ms. Smyth during her time in St. Mary's Hospital.
A photo of her was taken on admission and should be in her file, they learned recently.
However, efforts since 2019 to obtain those records from the HSE by way of Freedom of Information requests have proved unsuccessful to date.
They are aware the file exists in a HSE-owned storage unit in Castlebar – but are upset over the fact they are not being handed over to them.
An approach has now been made to Mayo County Council to expedite the release of the records to the Larkin family.
To this end, Amanda Larkin, who is a member of the collaborated forum of former residents of the Tuam home, is seeking to be invited to address the June meeting of the council in respect of the matter.
Stated Amanda: “My mother and I can't understand why this information has been denied to us to date. My mother is a survivor of the Tuam home, having been born and lived there for five years before being boarded out. She should not be made to fight any longer for her mother's records, to which she is entitled.
“We are not going to accept no from anybody any longer. We have had enough pain as a family and the least we expect is to be treated in a fair and honourable fashion.”