The death of a well known and popular priest who took his own life in the grounds of a north west hospital was preventable, a coroner has found.
Fr Patrick O’Kane, for many years the parish priest at Holy Family parish in Ballymagroarty, Derry, was found dead in the garden of the mental health ward of Waterside Hospital on the morning of March 28, 2022.
Fr O’Kane, described as the “people’s priest” at his funeral became widely known for his deeply felt homily at a service for five family members who died in the 2016 Buncrana pier tragedy.
Coroner Maria Dougan found the 74-year-old priest, who suffered from depression, sometimes chronic, had intentionally taken his own life.
Fr O’Kane’s access to a rope used to bind wood and a free standing chair that were both left in the garden of a hospital treating patients with mental illness were highlighted as serious failings by the coroner. The priest also managed to acquire a mobile phone charger cable.
Ms Dougan found “on the balance of probabilities that the death…was preventable”. The coroner highlighted in particular the absence of a comprehensive ligature risk assessment, either personally on the patient or more broadly across the ward.
The hospital, part of the Western Health and Social Care Trust, carried out a wider health and safety audit the previous summer which included identifying potential risks, including anchor points and materials, but this did not include the garden.
Ms Dougan described this as a “serious and material deficiency in risk management”.
Further, Fr O’Kane’s medical records were not adequately updated to reflect his clinical history and in particular the ligature risk, which limited the ability to fully appreciate the level of risk.
Fr Patrick O’Kane blessing the coffins of those who died in the Buncrana Pier tragedy that claimed five lives
In statements from the family, Fr O’Kane was described as someone who always wanted to be a priest to help people and made a positive impact on so many people’s lives.
But he “took on many people’s problems” and later in life the burden of coping with caring for his elderly father, Dominic, and dealing with his death in 2016.
The death occurred just months after Fr O’Kane officiated at the service for Sean McGrotty, his sons Mark and Evan, his partner’s mother, Ruth Daniels and her daughter, Jodie Lee.
Fr O’Kane suffered from depression for many years but, the coroner found, his mental health worsened in later years. He was admitted to hospital several times.
In late February, 2022, he was discovered with a cord around his neck and taken to Altnagelvin Hospital before being transferred to Tyrone and Fermanagh in Omagh and then to Waterside a number of weeks later.
Ms Dougan found, based on expert testimony, that his care was appropriate in Waterside, including that he was under general observation, designated as not being at serious risk to himself or others and that he was checked on every hour but allowed a measure of freedom.
His family had also questioned whether a failure to move on a requested transfer to a private mental health facility in Dublin had contributed to his decision to take his own life.
The coroner found that staff acted “expeditiously” on the transfer, likely to take time between two jurisdictions. However, better communication with Fr O’Kane “may have alleviated the anxiety” over why the transfer appeared slow in progressing.
Western Health and Social Care Trust said a 31 point action plan to remedy the issues highlighted following Fr Patrick’s passing was drawn up and actioned. The trust has apologised for the failings.
In closing remarks, the coroner highlighted how many in religious life dedicate themselves to caring for and supporting others. It is important that those individuals are provided with understanding and pastoral care themselves, she said.