Dublin doctor stabbed by patient at Usher's Island homeless clinic
A senior doctor was stabbed by a patient during a consultation at a Dublin city-centre medical unit on Friday. The attacker, a man in his 60s, was arrested at the scene by An Garda Síochána.
Doctor stabbed during consultation at Dublin homeless health unit
A senior male doctor was seriously injured after being stabbed by a patient at a city-centre medical unit in Dublin on Friday morning, irishexaminer.com reports. The incident took place at the Usher's Island Day Hospital, a facility that provides healthcare predominantly to homeless people with mental health issues.
The attack occurred during a routine consultation. The patient, a long-term attendee of the unit, produced a knife and attacked the doctor while he was being reviewed. Staff immediately contacted emergency services, and An Garda Síochána's Armed Response Unit (ARU) was among those who responded.
In a statement, gardaí said they received reports of an incident at a premises on Usher's Island, Dublin 8, shortly after 9am. "During the incident, a man in his 50s was seriously assaulted," the statement read. "He received medical attention at the scene from Gardaí before being transported by ambulance to St. James's Hospital."
The doctor underwent surgery following admission to hospital and is now in a stable condition.
A man in his 60s was arrested at the scene and is being detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984, at a Garda station in Dublin city. The patient is understood to have a history of violence and recently appeared in court in connection with another serious offence.
The HSE confirmed that the injured person is a member of its staff and is receiving medical treatment in hospital. "Our immediate concern is for their wellbeing and recovery, and we are continuing to provide support to the staff member and their colleagues," the HSE said in a statement.
The health body added that, given the ongoing Garda investigation, it would not be appropriate to comment on specific details relating to individuals involved. "The HSE takes the safety and wellbeing of both staff and service users extremely seriously," the statement continued. "Support services are being made available to staff affected by this incident."
The Usher's Island Day Hospital operates seven days a week, from 8am to 6pm, serving some of the city's most vulnerable residents.
Source: Irish Independent