Suicidal teenager sent home over lack of beds

A SUICIDAL teenage abuse victim who has spent the past eight weeks in a general hospital awaiting a psychiatric bed went home yesterday after doctors told her there was still no specialist bed available.

Gemma, 16, from Co Wexford, was raped over a period spanning several years by her mother’s former partner, now in prison, and has been suffering from psychiatric problems for the past number of years.

After attempting suicide at least six times and self-harming on many occasions, she was admitted to Wexford General Hospital eight weeks ago and told she could remain there until a place was found for her in a specialist adolescent psychiatric unit.

However, despite regular pleas by her mother, Pauline, no bed was found for her in a dedicated unit at a facility such as the St John of God’s private hospital in Dublin.

Gemma harmed herself as recently as Monday night, when she repeatedly banged her knuckles off the wall in her hospital ward.

“She needs this help,” Pauline said. “But the doctor told her she could go home for a few days, there’s no bed for her. She’s to go back on Friday to see how she got on. It’s very disappointing. She’s glad to be going home because she needs a break from that hospital, but if anything happens I’m to bring her back straightaway.”

Gemma was offered a place in St Senan’s Psychiatric Hospital in Enniscorthy two weeks ago but this was rejected as being unsuitable as it is normally an adults-only facility. The HSE said it was only in “very rare circumstances” an under-18 would be admitted to St Senan’s.

The HSE says it has a “standing arrangement” with some providers of specialist child and adolescent care in the private sector, such as St John of God’s in Stillorgan, Co Dublin.

Gemma and Pauline travelled to Warrenstown psychiatric unit in Blanchardstown, west Dublin, last week but “nothing came of it”, according to Pauline. “She was getting frustrated because nothing was happening, and kept banging her knuckles off the wall in Wexford.”

With no sign of a psychiatric bed becoming available, doctors decided yesterday said a break at home was appropriate for Gemma.

“It’s just so frustrating,” said her mother. “At this stage I’m losing the plot myself. You’re living on eggshells all the time. She’s eight weeks down there now, on medication and everything.”