Stabbing of consultant highlights risks - IHCA

Officials representing psychiatric nurses and consultants have said Tuesday's stabbing of consultant Dr Michael McDonough underlines the need to address the dangers associated with caring for the psychiatrically ill.

Dr McDonough (38) was in a critical but stable condition in the intensive care unit of St James's Hospital, Dublin, last night.

He underwent surgery after he was stabbed in the abdomen by an outpatient he was treating in his office at St Patrick's Hospital, Dublin, at 2.30pm on Tuesday. It is understood that the attacker used a five-inch blade, which severed one of Dr McDonough's arteries.

Secretary general of the Irish Hospital Consultants' Association (IHCA) Finbar Fitzpatrick said that while consultants had been attacked and threatened in the past, Tuesday's attack was the worst incident he could recall.

"It may be the case now that they would have to screen outpatients to make sure they are not carrying any weapons. At the moment it's taken for granted that they are not.

"We have had situations in the past where consultants have been followed home and their cars damaged, incidents of that nature. It is a hazard that comes with this line of work."

The IHCA would hold talks with staff at St Patrick's. Any safety concerns would be raised with hospital management and the Health Service Executive (HSE). However, because St Patrick's was a private hospital the responsibility for safety lay primarily with hospital management.

Industrial relations officer of the Psychiatric Nurses' Union (PNA) Séamus Murphy said that despite pledges from the last two Ministers for Health to address the growing problem of assaults on staff by psychiatric patients, the Government continued to "drag its heels".

Since 1993 51 PNA members had been forced to retire early due to injury, Mr Murphy said. "In 2001 we had 856 attacks but by last year that was up to 1,257 so it's very much a worsening problem."

While attacks on consultants did not occur as often as on nurses, they could not be described as "rare", he said.

The Department of Health had failed to provide work-safe practices, as promised, and had also stalled on implementing 2003 taskforce recommendations which would have provided a compensation scheme for nurses injured as a result of serious assaults.

Psychiatric nurses last week balloted 9:1 in favour of taking industrial action over the continued inaction relating to a compensation scheme.

In a statement yesterday St Patrick's said risk assessments were carried out on all outpatients. A "full and rigorous review" of Tuesday's incident was being carried out.

A man was arrested at the scene of the attack on Tuesday. He was detained by uniformed gardaí who were passing St Patrick's in a patrol car when an emergency call was broadcast on the Garda radio system.

The suspect is a 24-year-old man originally from the UK and living in Howth. He appeared before Kilmainham District Court yesterday, where he was charged with assault causing serious harm and possession of an offensive weapon. He was remanded in custody.

Dr McDonough has worked at St Patrick's for the past two years. He took up a post there after returning from a period working overseas. He specialises in the treatment of anxiety disorders and depression.