Home / Crime and Justice / Coroner Blasts Hospital for Missed Suicide Assessment
Coroner Blasts Hospital for Missed Suicide Assessment
11 Feb
Summary
- A patient died after a missed opportunity for a mental health assessment.
- He waited two hours, exceeding the 10-minute target for suicidal patients.
- Coroner cited chronic understaffing and a lack of resources.
A coroner has determined that a "missed opportunity" occurred when a high-risk patient was not adequately assessed before his death by suicide. Stephen Loughead, aged 50, died in hospital the week following his rescue from a body of water in March 2026.
He had been taken to the Mater Hospital's emergency department by police after visiting a city centre station. Despite being considered "actively suicidal," Mr. Loughead waited two hours for a doctor's assessment, far exceeding the recommended 10-minute timeframe. The coroner, Anne-Louise Toal, noted that chronic pressures on staff meant longer waits were not uncommon for such patients.
Coroner Toal highlighted that the emergency department's noisy and busy atmosphere worsened Mr. Loughead's declining mental health. This led to a crucial missed chance to address his suicidal thoughts before he left the hospital and subsequently entered the River Lagan. The coroner concluded that a "chronic lack of resources" at the hospital currently makes it difficult to foresee any significant changes in similar future situations. The case was described as extremely tragic, with condolences extended to Mr. Loughead's family. His organs were donated following his death.
