The Health Service Executive (HSE) has apologised to the family of a man who stabbed his mother’s partner to death two weeks after being discharged from a hospital emergency department.
The High Court heard on Tuesday that Fiona Nolan has settled for €150,000 her High Court nervous shock action over the death of her partner Bryan Cassidy (52).
He was killed by her 19-year-old son Adam Nolan on February 7th, 2018.
Mr Nolan, of Buirg an Rí Walk, Balgaddy, Lucan, was later found not guilty by reason of insanity of the murder of Mr Cassidy.
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Ms Nolan had in January 2018 brought her son to Tallaght University Hospital because he was unwell and allegedly had psychotic thoughts about killing Mr Cassidy, her partner of 10 years.
It was claimed that Ms Nolan was advised that these were irrational thoughts and that her son should see a counsellor. He was discharged without further follow up, her case alleged.
John O’Mahony SC, for the family, told the High Court on Tuesday Mr Nolan was not properly examined at the emergency department and his history was not taken.
“Two weeks later Fiona Nolan came home to her partner in the garden and he was pumping blood. He had been stabbed in the eye and six times in the abdomen,” Mr O’Mahony said.
The barrister said it ought to have been clear in the hospital that the student was suffering from a psychosis unrelated to any medication. This was the “fundamental flaw”, he submitted.
On Tuesday, the court heard Ms Nolan has settled for €150,000 her High Court nervous shock action over the death of her partner Bryan Cassidy.
A letter of apology from the HSE, written by the Integrated Health Area manager Dublin South West Orlagh Claffey, was read to the court.
“On behalf of the HSE, I wish to unreservedly apologise to you for the deficits in the care given to your son Adam Nolan by HSE psychiatric services at Tallaght University Hospital on January 25th, 2018, and for the distress and the grief caused to you by the said deficits in care,” the letter read.
The letter said the HSE has “reviewed this tragic event and has implemented key learning”.
Ms Nolan (53) sued the HSE and Tallaght University Hospital.
Ms Nolan brought her son to the hospital’s emergency department on January 24th, 2018, when, it was claimed, he was suffering from and exhibiting paranoid, violent and psychotic thoughts and behaviour including thoughts about him killing Ms Nolan’s partner, Bryan Cassidy or someone else. He was later discharged.
The case claimed Mr Nolan continued suffering severe psychotic thoughts and behaviour and on February 7th, 2018, he killed Mr Cassidy.
In the proceedings it was claimed there was a failure to admit Mr Nolan into the hospital on January 24th and 25th, and a failure to diagnose his symptoms as acute psychotic symptoms indicative of probable paranoid schizophrenia.
It was further claimed there was a failure to have any or any sufficient regard for the potential risks in failing to admit and detain Mr Nolan who had described clear murderous intentions.
Having noted within the emergency department that Mr Nolan was expressing a desire to kill people, and specifically Bryan Cassidy with a kitchen knife, it was claimed there was a failure to take any proper action to prevent the killing by admitting Mr Nolan to hospital immediately, sedating him or referring him to an urgent care psychiatric unit.
A breach of duty of care was admitted in the case.
Mr Justice Paul Coffey noted the settlement in what he said was a very sad case.
