No report 16 months after care home death

IT IS more than 16 months since a Cork woman died of asphyxiation while strapped to a chair in a north Cork care hospital — yet the Health Service Executive (HSE) has still not completed its investigation of the events that lead to her death in its care.

On the day in question, 65-year-old Hannah Comber had been restless and wanted to get up. She was removed from her room at Heatherside Hospital, Buttevant, put into a restraint chair and taken to a day room.

The pensioner, a diagnosed schizophrenic who had been resident at the hospital for 15 years, eventually fell asleep in her chair. At about 5am, it was discovered that Ms Comber had slipped from the chair and it appeared that her neck had been compressed by the buckle of the restraining belt.

It emerged in the weeks following Ms Comber’s death that the report from the hospital given to gardaí failed to mention that she had accidentally slipped in the chair while strapped in.

It was not until a postmortem took place that it was revealed she died as a result of asphyxiation from a ligature on the chair.

The Garda investigation into the matter yielded a file to the Director of Public Prosecutions, but that office subsequently decided not to pursue the case.

However, the HSE examination of the death still continues. Its investigation was briefly stalled when a senior health manager, Tom O’Dwyer, who was leading it, had to step aside in July due to a conflict of interest.

He had previously been a programme manager who had overall responsibility for running the hospital where Ms Comber was a long-term resident.

He stepped down at the end of July 2006 and was replaced by Pat Gaughan.

Yesterday, in a statement the HSE said: “The independent investigation team appointed by the HSE continues to meet under the chairmanship of Mr P Gaughan. The team acts independently in carrying out its examination of the circumstances surrounding the death of Ms Hannah Comber, RIP.

“Investigations of this nature are comprehensive and meticulous and, by their very nature, time-consuming, however, the independent investigation team are cognisant of the need to finalise the investigation as soon as possible.”

Timeline

June 21, 2006: Hannah Comber, a resident at Heatherside Hospital, near Buttevant, Co Cork, suffocates after becoming entangled in straps binding her to a special chair.

Early July 2006: Gardaí and the HSE launch separate probes into the circumstances surrounding the death of the 65-year-old patient.

Late July 2006: The senior health manager leading the probe into the death has to step aside to avoid a potential conflict of interests when it emerges that, in a previous role as programme manager, he had overall responsibility for running the hospital where Ms Comber was a long-term resident.

September 2006: Gardaí complete their investigation into the death and decide no charges should be brought. A file is sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions who also decides no charges should be forthcoming.

April 2007: An inquest into the death records a verdict of misadventure.