Minister declares under-pressure psychaitric unit ‘safe’ after watchdog called

The Government has defended the standard of care in Galway’s main psychiatric unit after the country’s work safety watchdog was called in over complaints about staffing levels.

It has emerged that last week, a patient absconded from the psychiatric unit in University Hospital Galway and later died by suicide.

It is understood another patient also absconded from the unit and was located and returned to the hospitals only after nurses spent hours searching the city.