St. Loman's Hospital

"Dr Ali was so professional and kind."

"Death dealing facility. Go to any other hospital if possible"

"Yesterday my daughter had suicide thoughts, we got referral from a psychiatrist in Athlone, we went St. Loman’s, we were waiting long time and my daughter was there 10 minutes then I wanted to speak to a doctor and security told me that doctor is busy and doesn’t have a time for you. This place is waste of time and we shouldn’t pay our taxes for this place. Additionally my daughter tried to take her life twice before."

"Very good architecture. Worth having a look around."

"St. Loman's is an absolutely terrible hospital. I was snatched out of my home late one night as a minor and involuntarily admitted to a unit on their grounds for an evaluation. The treatment was degrading and they needlessly used excessive physical restraint. They were intimidating bullies. One member of their staff had even referred to my mother and siblings as “knackers” for sticking up for me. They also didn't seem to care about my concerns about the possible side-effects of medications. It all started when a group of people barged into the house unannounced one night shouting "where is he". When I came out of my room I was met by a bunch of males at the top of the stairs who grabbed me from about every limb and dragged me out into a van without explanation. I thought I was being kidnapped. Then I thought I was in prison when we turned up at Loman's. I only found out where I was when my mother arrived and told me. They wouldn’t allow me to use the toilet alone, despite being told to stop following me into the toilet on numerous occasions. My mother had to regularly come in to stand outside the bathroom door to prevent anyone from violating my privacy while I showered and used the toilet. And on one occasion when I asked to use the toilet while they had me restrained, they dragged me into the toilet, pulled my pants down, put me sitting on the toilet, and would not let me up until I did my business. Then they wiped me with my hands being held in front of me. They left me alone directly after that. There was absolutely no need for it. I had full control over my facilities and asked them to leave me alone to use the toilet and reminded them of my age. Intimidation. And they didn't take very well to criticism in the hospital at all. They were very difficult to deal with and would label one as aggressive and use unnecessary physical restraint for the simplest of reasons (e.g. argumentative when they're wrong). It was never a last resort, but something they used very freely. The restraint often left me feeling my circulation was being cut off and having breathing difficulties. They did not care much for pleas for release. On one occasion when they had me restraint, I begged them to release me, but they said they would not stop until I was "calm", despite laying there placid for some time, and continuing to do so for some time afterwards. I only began struggling as time went on and my breathing and circulation issues exacerbated to the point that I was in terror. Their response to this, which was by no means "aggression", and they knew this hearing my pleas, was to have me forced an injection. I was bruised and cut all over my body after the incident. One of the men restraining me also pressed his knee across my neck and head, which I found very abusive. My older sister came in towards the end and saved me from those animals. I only spent about two weeks in their care because very soon into the evaluation the judge had me transferred into competent care, where my family and I were treated with respect. They never robbed of my dignity in the hospital which I was transferred to. The staff at the second hospital were extremely polite, patient, helpful, and understanding. The difference was hell to heaven. I was diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome and released soon afterwards. However, I did have to continue seeing some unhelpful psychiatrist or counselor (I don’t know what he was) under the HSE who refused to take me off medications which had undesirable side effects, the main one being rapid weight gain. I had issues with my weight previously which he was already aware of and once I was taken off the medications I starved myself for a number of months (they should have seen that coming). I have been suffering with suicidal thoughts for years because of the scars left from the experience under the care of the HSE and I have felt unable to open up to anyone about suicidal thoughts to avoid being forced through anymore unhelpful treatment. It was a traumatic experience. The treatment was anti-therapeutic and degrading."