North’s Health Minister pledges more psychiatric beds

The North's Health Minister has pledged to ensure there are more hospital beds available for patients with mental health problems.

Michael McGimpsey made the pledge during a meeting yesterday with the family of a suicide victim who took his own life two days after being turned away from Craigavon Hospital in February 2004.

Forty-three-year-old Steven McAdam, a former professional footballer, was deeply depressed, but was told by the hospital that there were no psychiatric beds available.

His family was told to take him home and not to leave him alone as he was a danger to himself.

However, less than 48 hours later, he slipped out of the back door of his home, drove six miles down the coast and into the harbour at Donaghadee.

After yesterday's meeting, his family said they had been given firm assurances that a bed would be found for anyone at serious risk of suicide.