The Mid-Western Health Board has defended its decision to carry out an investigation at a long-stay psychiatric unit in Ennis, Co Clare, claiming confidential information was leaked to a local newspaper.
The board believes a misinformation campaign is being waged to convince residents of the west Clare town of Spanish Point that patients considered a danger to the community would be housed in a new high-support community residence.
But the Clare Champion was informed that the opening of the unit would involve the transfer of severely disturbed psychiatric patients to the resort town, which led residents to seek further meetings with health board members.
The board is transferring patients from Our Lady's Hospital in Ennis to community-based structures as part of a £2 million investment in mental health services, which is partly funded by the sale of the hospital and the grounds.
But an investigation of nursing, administrative and medical staff began in February after the board learned that information, including, management believes, details of case histories, was passed to outside parties, in advance of the opening of the Spanish Point residence, which has received planning permission.
The editor of the newspaper, Mr Gerry Collison, denied that personal information on patients was passed to him. But he nonetheless believed his sources were right to highlight their concerns that "the health board was perpetrating a deceit on the people of Spanish Point".
The board's assistant chief executive, Mr Ger Crowley, said nobody who would be a threat to the community would be placed in Spanish Point, or in any other community-based structure.
He said that at the end of last year the medical and nursing management in Ennis learned that patients' personal details were being disclosed to outside parties. "Their duty of care, which includes a duty to protect the confidentiality of patients caused them to recommend the disclosures be investigated."
The Clare Champion is mentioned in the questionnaire being presented to staff. Mr Collison said a number of sources approached the newspaper saying the highly- secure unit was planned for Spanish Point. Concerns were expressed by residents at the lack of a 24-hour Garda presence or an ambulance service in the region.