Psych patient’s 12 days in seclusion

A patient in the psychiatric unit at the Midland Regional Hospital in Portlaoise cried themselves to sleep during 12 days in seclusion.

According to a scathing inspection report by the Mental Health Commission, the unit used seclusion in some cases in a manner that was “ethically unacceptable and excessively coercive”.

One resident, who was interviewed by the inspection team stated that they had spent 12 days in seclusion.