asked the Minister for Health if he is conscious of the fact that existing legislation exposes members of psychiatric nursing staffs to claims for damages by relatives of patients who leave hospital without medical authority and suffer injury or death on leaving the hospital; and, if so, if he has any proposals for improved legislation in this matter, having regard to the general development in psychiatric hospitals of treatment in open wards, which must result in patients leaving the institution without medical permission and the likelihood of a proportion of such patients meeting with injury or death.
Ceisteanna—Questions. Oral Answers. - Psychiatric Hospital Patients.
7.
I am not aware that existing legislation operates to place the nursing staff of psychiatric hospitals under any special disabilities in relation to the risk of injury or death of patients in their charge arising from the giving of greater freedom to such patients as a therapeutic measure.
I have no record of any claim for damages having been initiated in the circumstances set out in the question and I do not, therefore, share the Deputy's apprehension. If, however, the Deputy has come across any instances which have caused him concern, I would be glad if he would communicate the details to me.