Publish my daughter’s suicide report, says father

A LIMERICK father last night called on the Government to publish a report into the suicide of his daughter in a Limerick hospital.

The 21-year-old student from Adare had a history of depression. She hanged herself in a public psychiatric hospital unit 16 hours after being transferred from a private hospital because her health insurance was inadequate. Anne O’Rahilly died on September 20, 2002. She had been transferred from St Patrick’s Private Hospital in Dublin to the public psychiatric unit at the Mid Western Regional Hospital in Limerick.

An expert group report on her death, which has never been made public, showed communications and systems failures on behalf of doctors, nurses and the health authorities in general leading up to Ms O’Rahilly’s suicide.

On September 13, 2002, Anne O’Rahilly was admitted to St Patrick’s. Five days later her family were told there was insufficient health insurance for her to stay there. Though Ms O’Rahilly was identified as posing a serious suicide risk she was discharged at 9pm on September 19. She was brought by her parents on a three-hour train journey to Limerick’s Mid Western Regional Hospital. She arrived after midnight, September 20. Staff found her hanging by her dressing gown belt at 1.30pm later that day.

Letters that were given by St Patrick’s to Ms O’Rahilly’s family to bring with them to Limerick were incomplete as a crucial detail - a reference that she had been in a special care unit - was left out, the report found.

The review group also found the treating consultant at the Limerick unit failed to notice a handwritten letter addressed to him from the referring psychiatrist at St Patrick’s.

Last night, Anne’s father, Jim O’Rahilly, said he was shocked at what was outlined by the report.

Mr O’Rahilly said: “This report should be made public to make people safer and better treated when in psychiatric care. My daughter would still be alive if she got proper care and attention.”

Mr O’Rahilly said he wanted fairness for all who suffer from mental illness and he wanted justice for his daughter.

Although the Government has referred the expert group report into the suicide to the Mental Health Commission, it has not yet been officially put into the public domain.

Health Minister Mary Harney has stated in the Dáil that the report raised serious issues, and she would be keen to put it officially into the public domain.

However, she had received advice from the Attorney General that there may be a legal impediment to publishing the report in full or in edited form.

The Tánaiste said in the Dail: “I have sent a copy of the report to the Medical Council for their attention and any appropriate action that they may see fit.” The council is the governing body for doctors and can investigate the behaviour of members of the medical profession.

Deputy Dan Neville, president of the Irish Association of Suicidology, has backed calls for the immediate publication of the expert group’s report into Ms O’Rahilly’s death. He accused the Government of hiding behind advice from the Attorney General.

“This report contains very serious comments on psychiatric services at two hospitals, St Patrick’s and the Mid Western Regional,” Mr Neville said.