Section 272 of the Mental Treatment Act, 1945, specifies that: immediately upon the occurrence in a mental institution of any of the following matters, a report therein shall be given to the Minister: (a) an injury to a patient in the institution (including an injury existing on reception); (b) an assault or alleged assault upon a patient in the institution by a member of the staff; (c) an outbreak of infectious or epidemic disease in the institution whether affecting patients only, staff only or both; (d) an outbreak on fire in the institution; (e) any other matter of serious importance to the welfare of the patients.
In practice, responsibility for the investigation of such occurrences rests with the clinical director of the service concerned. The clinical director assembles reports from the relevant medical and nursing staff as appropriate. Copies of these reports together with any conclusions reached by the clinical director are forwarded to the Inspector of Mental Hospitals and the chief executive officer of the appropriate health board. Depending on the nature and seriousness of the occurrence, the gardaí and relatives of the patient are informed.
