Psychiatric nurses at a Co Galway hospital insist that staffing was at the normal "pre-strike" level last Friday night when a 23-year-old patient was found hanging from her bed.
Ms Caroline Greene was rushed to Portiuncula Hospital, Ballina sloe, after she was found hanging in St Brigid's Psychiatric Hospital in the town. After efforts to revive her failed, she was placed on a life-support machine but died at the weekend.
Her father, Mr Richard Greene, told the Sunday World he intended to sue the Western Health Board, and was reported by the newspaper as being highly critical of the fact that nurses were picketing St Brigid's at the time.
The board confirmed that an in-patient at St Brigid's had died and said the Garda and the Inspector of Mental Hospitals had been informed, as is normal in such situations.
A spokeswoman said nursing care in St Brigid's Hospital on Friday night was at a level agreed between the local strike committee and management. These staffing levels continued to be reviewed, the board said. It expressed sympathy with the family.
Mr Paddy Creaven, chairman of the East Galway Psychiatric Services Nursing Alliance Committee, said staff levels on Friday in the unit were at "pre-strike" or normal levels.
"On behalf of the staff, who are themselves deeply devastated, we wish to convey our deepest sympathy to the family and friends concerned," he said. It is understood the woman had tried to commit suicide several times in the past two weeks and had been categorised as a "risk" patient. She was medically examined at 2 p.m. on Friday and was not considered to be "at risk". She was given the freedom of the ward rather than being put in a one-to-one situation with a nurse. Another patient in the ward was assessed as being at risk and given a nurse.
The health board is understood to be satisfied there was no question of the strike affecting the level of care.
The board also confirmed yesterday that striking nurses at University College Hospital, Galway, left the picket lines to assist when an emergency care order was sought at the weekend.
A five-year-old child from Co Roscommon was taken to UCHG late on Friday night suffering from bruising. When the child was X-rayed, there were indications of previous injuries, and the board applied for a care order for the child and a two-year-old from the same family.
As pickets continued at hospitals throughout the west, Ms Claire Treacy, the Irish Nurses Organisation regional organiser for the west, criticised the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) for requesting normal emergency cover over the bank holiday weekend.
IHCA members were on leave while nurses continued to work without pay, she said. In one hospital, a locum had been employed to cover for two consultants over the weekend. Mr Finbarr Fitzpatrick of the IHCA said it felt this was a reasonable request. The consultants' main concern was that they held ultimate responsibility for the management of patients. These decisions were being queried and treatment often delayed by strike committees, he said.
"We are saying emphatically that the level of medical care is not up to the standard we would wish it to be, and we are lucky that the number of emergency admissions is extraordinarily down," he said.
"Strike committees are assuming a role which they have no right to have, which is to determine who is and who is not an emergency."
The health board confirmed that patients in one block of Mayo General Hospital in Castlebar had to be relocated within the hospital at the weekend when the strike committee withdrew cover.
About 100 beds were closed at the weekend. The board thanked volunteers who helped with making beds at the hospital. In University College Hospital Galway, three wards were closed and there were 77 vacant beds. There were 20 admissions to the accident and emergency section between 8 a.m. on Saturday and 8 a.m. on Sunday, the board said.
