HSE refuses to say if it will publish report on chair restraint death
The HSE received the findings of an independent report in June into the death of Hannah Comber at Heatherside Hospital, near Buttevant. She had been a patient at the hospital, a long-stay mental health facility for older people.
It emerged she was choked to death by a belt used to restrain her in a chair. The belt was bound round her waist, but it is thought she fell asleep and slipped down, causing the buckle to compress her neck. Staff had put the restraining belt on her because she had become restless after getting out of bed.
A Garda investigation resulted in a file being sent to the Director of Public Prosecutions, who decided there should be no charges.
The inquest into Ms Comber’s death was told there was no written hospital policy on the use of restraint chairs or for dealing with a sudden death.
A HSE spokesman said that when such reports are received by it, or any other public body, there is a legal obligation to ensure due process for all concerned, and to ensure that the matter is addressed appropriately in the context of “our duty of care to patients, staff and the public”.
“The HSE is considering the report and the legal advice obtained, and it would therefore be premature to comment further on the next steps at this stage. The HSE remains committed to bringing a satisfactory conclusion to this matter in the interests of all concerned within the legal framework available to it,” a spokesman said.
Deputy Sean Sherlock, who has raised the issue of Ms Comber’s death on several occasions, said he couldn’t understand the latest response from the HSE.
“It is very easy for an organisation like the HSE to hide behind due process. They are using this as an excuse not to publish the report. The question is has the late Hannah Comber received due process? The answer is she hasn’t,” the Labour Party TD said.
He said the gardaí had carried out a thorough investigation into the elderly woman’s death and the DPP had decided nobody should be prosecuted.
“So what is wrong?” Mr Sherlock said.
The HSE had previously promised to publish the report on the circumstances surrounding Ms Comber’s death “in the interests of her family, public confidence in their services, as well as openness and transparency”.
