Terminally ill pensioner hurt in fall after disappearance

A TERMINALLY ill pensioner who went missing from a hospital for several hours was found with cuts and bruises after he fell 20 feet of a 150ft descent just yards from the unit.

The single man was found bloodied and disorientated in thick undergrowth after going missing for seven hours from St Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny at the weekend.

The Co Carlow patient wandered from his ward on Saturday morning. Hospital staff launched a full-scale search when it was discovered he was missing from his ward.

Close friends Larry and Ann Doyle were contacted immediately and they organised a search of the missing man’s home and farm in Co Carlow. At the same time, hospital wards and grounds were searched. The gardaí were also notified.

The missing man was found about 4pm, almost eight hours after he was noticed missing.

Mr Doyle found him about 300m from the hospital, lodged about 20ft down a 150ft drop. He had not been injured seriously in the fall. “I called out his name and next thing I heard this little mumble from down the bank. He was about 20ft down the drop, completely covered in briars and nettles, blood coming out his ear, very distressed and disorientated,” said Mr Doyle.

The South Eastern Health Board confirmed that the man was found at 4pm after a seven-hour search.

“Every effort is made to ensure that patients are safe while in hospital, however, the hospital is an open building and therefore it is not possible to confine patients to a specific ward,” the board said in a statement.

A review of security procedures is taking place. The hospital plans to respond to the family of the patient.