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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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It’s unfair to say she has done nothing; she has given her husband a job. Now they are both riding the gravy train at public expense.
Surprise surprise, another useless career politician like so many others.
Being able to waffle and bulls***t seem to be the only requirements needed to become a minister. I voted for this woman, she has become toxic, but then she must have always been that way. I apologise to the country for my innocence, won’t happen again.
I voted for her to many broken promises and empty words such a pity she s proven herself as just another untrustworthy politician
Here here. Remember family first.
No funds to help and support these ill people or the staff who have to work under these unsafe conditions.
They should talk to the legal team who recently got 150k for the criminal in prison, a few lawsuits might get this the priority it needs.
Well said
what’s this about 150k?
Ursula. Even before we had to pay this back to the trioka, we never used it for irish citizens anyway
Along with many other TDs and ministers. I’m banging the drum again for a reduced size dail.
Reduced size Dail??? They were only joking……
Kathleen Lynch has been a complete disappointment for those that voted for her in Cork. I and my extended family always voted Labour and Fianna Fáil but never, ever, ever again!
It was inevitable that Fine Gael were going to continue with the Fianna Fáil policies, ‘their two sides of the same coin.’ However we expected Labour to represent the working class and make FG toe the line, consequently it was Labour who were first over the line to renege on their promises.
My extended family and I have joined the growing support for Sinn Fein and I know of many many others.
The Labour Party are History!
Well Bobby that’s one of the silliest things you could ever do ! Sinn Fein’s policys if see the light of day will destroy Ireland will you cop on my god..
Sinn Féin policies will destroy Ireland, Oliver? As opposed to what’s happened over the past few years where everything has been just fine and dandy…? Someone needs a dose of reality!
Niall what do you do as an opposition party! You try and be constructive come up with alternatives to the government’s policys well take a look a look at the gap in the number of policy documents FF have released to SF it’s staggering, stop opposing everything for opposition sake what the people want is alternatives not play politics with every issue because they sick of it.
Oliver do you see I have “coped on ” to the likes of you that have been spreading propaganda in the hope that when your party falls that you try and bring Sinn Fein with you and then at least ye hope that ye might be able to rise again, by not this time. Your empty slogans and meaningless propaganda is not being listened to, the game is over! Oliver let you go now and get ready to join Kathleen Lynch and your corrupt party at the back of the cue your days are numbered. Cop on and vote Sinn Fein!
Bobby with that reply I know you never voted for FF or Lab because that’s a typical Shinner reply, all bluff no substance what FF do hope is to let SF into government although it will probably destroy the country you can be damn sure it will destroy SF also because they will be found out for what they are.
We do not need new politicians, new parties or a general election We need NEW POLITICS.
Niall, ignore any comments Oliver puts up, he is a newly elected member of FF National Executive, I spoke with him recently on the phone and asked him why he is in FF, because his father was involved in FF and they have always been good to small farmers, was his reply. Well, I dont vote the same as my father or people of the same proffession as myself, I use common sense and the evidence berfore me to make my choices. After speaking with Oliver on the merits of FF and his views or lack of them I would definitely vote SF ahead of FF, FG, Labour or any Independent, as they could do no worse than any of the previous govts to date. Oliver, wake up, look at what is happening on the ground to the people of this country, I see it every day in my job, yesterday we were lucky enough tosave a 35 yr old woman inCardiac Arrest by CPR and defibrillation, it was only after we stabalised her and looked around the room we seen the way she her husband and child were living, in one room of a 3 bed house as they could not afford to heat it. Later on yesterday we delivered a baby girl, then to be told by the mother not to allow her 6 year old daughter idownstairs to see what was happening as the newborn was already registered for adoption as she cannot afford another child and was having a hard time dealing with the whole pregnancy mentally. So, Oliver, from your privalleged position within the inner sanctum of the party that ruined this country, what did you do for the citizens of your country yesterday, or your party do ?
Found out for what they are? And fg labour and your ff boys haven’t??!!
@ Oliver. . And this cancer of a government isn’t destroying the country !!!!!!.
Oliver, why do all ye FFers pose in suits?
Feckin’ gobdaws!
So you cant see the black n white thieves uniforms
Oliver if you are going to try and defend Kathleen Lynch and the cartel that are running this, or should I add ruining this country, at least try and state something constructive and not your load of insignificant unsupported propaganda? Well Oliver shut me up, by giving us something to support your confidence in Kathleen Lynch and her cronies. Something meaningful other than running down a party that are not in government or has not been given a chance as of yet? Put up or shut up!
Might as well keep voting for Fianna Fail, as all you’re doing is swaping one slightly constitutional party for another!
Which policies is that Oliver. The 1 where Sinn Fein proposed using the national
Pension reserve to stimulate the domestic markets by making finances available to SMEs and construction trades. Or where they said to burn bond holders. Now Noonan has floated pension plan as his own to late for thousands of self employed
Here. And IMF and tropical says bond holders should have been burnt.
Is it not destroyed already !!!
And you who is responsible for this downfall of our wonderful country !!
Oliver , just look around you , for such an intelligent looking man ??? You support the people ( government ) that led our wonderful country on a down hill spiral, we are heading for a third world economy , we have lost a generation of young people , never to return to our shores , and you still support them . Take off the blinkers , and look around you to see the hardship of people , and you support that !!! I for one will not support the main parties and in particular Labour the workers party so called . And you still support them !!!!
Oliver Did you know that 40,000 of our brightest left our shores never to return
In this 12 nth period up to June of this year . Ref C.S.O stats . And you support this . !!!! Did you read your examiner this morning ?? Suicide rates in Cork are soaring due to austerity can you explain this ???
Kenny and that worm rabbit are yes men for europe they have to ask germany if they can or cannot Do tbe right thing for this country hung drawen and quartered they All should be
The call should be for a higher head like Enda’s –
“I feel the priority should be the 300,000 people who suffer from mental illness and the 75,000 people who attempt self-harm and those who have the tragedy of suicide visit their families.”
Pre-election 2011.
But then as Patrick Rabbitte will tell you, you say whatever to get elected. It’s what you do.
Only interest these people have after themselves is big business and rogue banks.
And Katherine Lynch should also resign as she has done nothing for the world of comedy…utter tripe!!
Click the #Kathleen Lynch hashtag below and you’ll see that she only ever mentions mental health when responding to (well-deserved) criticism
Kathleen Lynch is interested in “wimmin’s issues” and nothing else. See for yourself! Click it!
This situation is a very poor reflection of our society. We have droves of capable young people on the dole queue and leaving the country but we cant staff a basic health service. This is not rocket science but it seems we are stuck in a rut with same old parties beating the civil war drum when they should be getting on with actually running the country. We need imagination, cop on and leadership and we are not getting it.
Podge even in the Celtic tiger era the health service was no better than now .
According to forensic Psychiatrist Yolande Lucire and many others, Psychiatric patients are no more violent that the general population. What makes people violent are the prescribed psychoactive drugs that they are on. Society may find that hard to accept due to the way the media portray people who have mental health issues and how stories are reported.
If you listen from 10 mins in. Adverse reactions to Psychiatric drugs:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEoSs6Yo0DA&feature=youtu.be
I also noticed that deaths in a Psychiatric unit are not taken as seriously by the public as other deaths. It’s as if it is to be expected. It is not acceptable that people die in a Psychiatric unit! They are supposed to be safe. So under staffing is a major problem.
I am talking in general as opposed to any specific case ~ some of the drugs given to people eg “anti-depressants”/SSRIs can increase the risk of suicide, violence, mania and even homicide. For example the Donal Schell case in America.
Or the Shane Clancy case here in Ireland. His mother Leonie Fennell keeps a blog and has even met KATHLEEN LYNCH to discuss the dangers of “anti-depressants” but nothing has happened. Doctors are prescribing them as much as ever as highlighted by the UL trainee journalist not so long ago.
“Medical experts meet in Leinster House”:
http://leoniefennell.wordpress.com/2012/05/03/the-medical-experts-meet-in-leinster-house/
I have just been listening to Harvard Psychologist Dr Irving Kirsch. Depression is not due to low serotonin. The “chemical imbalance” theory has never been proven. Depression should be treated by psychological or spiritual means, especially when it comes to children. Not forgetting the importance of diet, exercise and other methods eg Yoga & meditation. As well as been careful with alcohol.
[Never stop or change medication without talking to a good doctor, due to the dangers of withdrawal]
Interview with Dr Joanna Moncrieff filmed at Vatican conference (Jun 14th & 15th). Moncrieff is a UK psychiatrist and author of “The Myth Of The Chemical Cure: A Critique of Psychiatric Drug Treatment” ~ http://new.livestream.com/accounts/3973214/events/2146679/videos/21408213
Conference details. Good to see Robert Whitaker, Dr Pat Bracken (West Cork), Irving Kirsch from Harvard and Joanna Moncrieff (London) on the list. The important thing is that some of the TRUTH is getting out there.
http://www.fiamc.org/agenda/study-meeting-the-child-as-a-patient/
Let’s face it even in the midst of the Celtic Tiger, mental health was a 3rd world service, no way it would improve now the country’s in a financial crisis. I know from personal experience of a family member who has been in and out of hospital since the late 90′s and the service is as crap now as it was then.
I would not indulge in derogatory comment of a personal nature against Kathleen Lynch, but as a T.D. and a Minister ( God help us) she is totally out of her depth. She spoofs and verbalises incessantly but it’s meaningless waffle. Cork deserves better.
Great in opposition useless as a minister,her turn on the gravytrain
Its the same vicious cycle with every government we vote in. Whoever is in power will never get it all right and whoever is out of power are great lads with amazing new policies that sound great but in reality will not work. To be honest I have no idea who I’d vote for in the next election. Probably a TD from my home town with the small hope he/she can bring some employment to the area or something like that. But as far as whoever takes the Dial, puppets on strings until all that debt is paid off..
Out please
Never even heard if that woman
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