Trust's actions to restrain and prevent patient leaving hospital were disproportionate - Investigation of a complaint against the Northern Health and Social Care Trust (Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman, 16 January 2026)

Summary

This report from the Northern Ireland Public Services Ombudsman relates to the care and treatment the Northern Health and Social Care Trust provided to a patient in the Emergency Department of Antrim Area Hospital. The investigation found the Trust’s decision to act to prevent the complainant leaving the hospital grounds for her own safety was reasonable and appropriate and that the actions it took to restrain the patient and prevent her leaving were disproportionate and contrary to relevant standards.

The investigation also identified maladministration in the Trust’s handling of the complaint. In particular, the Trust failed to conduct a sufficiently robust and comprehensive investigation into the complaint in a fair impartial manner. It placed too much emphasis on the Nurse in Charge’s statement about the incident, without taking steps to gather other potentially relevant evidence to corroborate or refute her statement. As a result, the Trust failed to give sufficient consideration to the complainant’s account of events, and failed to provide an appropriate response.