Coroner calls for patient safeguards at Mayo mental health facility

The Coroner for Mayo has made a number of recommendations to safeguard patients at the adult mental health unit at Mayo University Hospital.

Speaking at an inquest at which a self-homicide verdict was returned, Mr. O'Connor called for an audit of the physical environment at the facility in which persons who may be a risk to themselves or others should be carried out to include all possible ligature points in rooms and in the units in which patients are housed.

He said all potential ligatures should be removed from patients immediately on admission to the psychiatric unit at the hospital.

Mr. O'Connor also appealed for ongoing training and continuous education of all staff in assessing patients who are a risk of self harm should be carried out by hospital management.

Following the verdict, the family of the deceased said they felt he had been let down in the adult mental health unit ‘in his time of need’.

The statement continued: “He was in the one place where he should have been safe.

“Currently adult mental health units are not fit for purpose. My family wants change to prevent another family going through what we have gone through.”