A PUBLIC MEETING in Roscommon about the crisis in the county’s mental health and psychiatric services heard calls for Junior Minister Kathleen Lynch to resign this week.
Facilitated by the Psychiatric Nurses Association (PNA), about 100 people joined the discussion on staff shortages and recent incidents at Roscommon Hospital’s Psychiatric Unit.
“Two years ago we met Kathleen Lynch and asked her to make the unit safe. She has done nothing,” PNA spokesperson Noel Giblin told TheJournal.ie.
The organisation also called for the nursing manager at the hospital to step down.
“She has allowed the crisis to deepen and clients are cared for in areas that are not safe,” continued Giblin.
Over the past two months, one woman has died and a number of assaults have been reported at the unit.
The family of deceased mum-of-two Sinéad McPartland Brennan believe the unit was understaffed at the time of her death. They have asked the Mental Health Commission to launch a full investigation into the circumstances of the fateful day.
A family of another patient has also told its story publicly. He was seriously assaulted by an outpatient who was subsequently allowed back in close proximity to the victim because there was no suitable alternative arrangements available.
Two female members of staff have also been assaulted.
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