HSE rejects claims of suicidal woman

THE Health Service Executive has rejected claims a young anorexic woman with a history of suicide attempts was recently discharged from Tallaght Hospital without being offered any appropriate community-based supports.

In a statement issued yesterday, the HSE said it wished to “strongly refute” claims made in media reports earlier this week which highlighted the case of 25-year-old Emer Carroll.

The woman from Kiltipper, Co Dublin, claimed she was released from the hospital on October 26, despite telling medical staff and her father that she would try to kill herself. The former accountancy student had made two suicide attempts in the previous three weeks. She also complained there was a lack of treatment facilities at Tallaght for patients suffering from anorexia.

However, the HSE yesterday said Ms Carroll had been discharged from Tallaght Hospital into the care of the HSE’s community mental health team.

The health authorities said the team in consultation with Ms Carroll organised a particular care package which included twice-daily visits from a home care nurse.

The HSE stressed a consultant psychiatrist and the clinical director of psychiatry at Tallaght had declared themselves satisfied the appropriate level of care was being provided. “If hospital admission is deemed necessary, she will be admitted to Tallaght Hospital without delay,” said the HSE.

A HSE spokesperson also pointed out specialised eating disorder programmes were available in St John of God’s and St Patrick’s Hospital in Dublin, and that patients from Tallaght were referred to these centres where necessary.