Nancy Reilly speaks out about husband Mark Reilly's tragic death by suicide at CUH and the HSE apology she received

Nancy and Mark Reilly had a charmed life together. Irish-American
retirees based in Kinsale, their 36 year marriage saw them travel
the world teaching English refugee children and getting involved
in community projects in their adopted home. 


That idyllic life together came to a sudden, tragic end, when
Mark Reilly hanged himself while in isolation at Cork University
Hospital on 19 March 2022. He had been brought to Bandon Garda
station after a suicide attempt four days prior, in the midst of
what Nancy believes was a psychotic episode. He had no history of
mental health difficulties before that. 


Ms Reilly is deeply critical of the systems failures that led to
Mark's death, identifying a number of issues including the lack
of a consultant psychiatrist on duty during St Patrick's weekend;
availability of ligature points in the acute mental health unit;
isolation of a patient who was supposed to be on suicide
watch. 


"There were going to be no psychiatrists on duty all weekend
because it was St. Patrick's Day. Now, right there that raises a
question. You don't wait to have a heart attack. There would be a
cardiologist available if you had a heart attack on St. Patrick's
Day.


"Why was there not a psychiatrist on duty?"


Nancy's case against CUH and the HSE was settled at the High
Court last month, with the clinical director of South Lee Mental
Health Service, Dr Thomas Cronin, writing a letter of apology for
shortcomings in Mark's care. 


Wife of man who took his own life in CUH unit calls for
change in mental health treatment



Pieta.ie 


The Samaritans  116 123 24 






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