Jury call for staff with medical background to oversee 'refusal of treatment' by prisoners

A jury at an inquest into the death of a prisoner at Mountjoy has recommended that refusals of treatment be overseen by staff with a medical background.

Returning a verdict of death by misadventure at the inquest of Paschal Doyle (31), the jury asked that a half-sheet, required by prison officers as a means of recording a prisoner's refusal of medical treatment, be approved by ‘a second person with a medical background.’

Mr Doyle a father of four from Pollarton in Co Carlow, died on July 26th, 2014. He died due to the inhalation of gastric contents, due to obstruction of the small bowel by a small package of drugs he had swallowed.