“Immoral” 95 Hour Week: Mother of Junior Doctor Who Died

The mother of a junior doctor who took her own life last December has described her daughter’s working hours as “immoral” following an inquest into her death.

Dr Jessica Murphy. Photo: independent.ie

Jessica Murphy was just 26-year-old when she took an overdose which resulted in her death. Murphy has been working as a junior doctor in neurology at Tallaght Hospital.

During the inquest into her death, Murphy’s parents raised the question of her working hours which they say were 95 per week. Murphy’s mother, Marian, believes her daughter was “put under too much pressure”, contributing to her death.

Mrs Murphy welcomes recent moves to reduce junior doctor’s working and also said she is glad to see public figures speaking about depressions because her own daughter had been afraid of the stigma attached. “It is an illness like anything else and should be treated properly” Mrs Murphy added.

Jessica’s father believes that his daughter had been self-prescribing sleeping tablets among other medication in the days before her death. When Gardai searched Jessica’s home, they found a number of empty medication boxes along with a letter of resignation to the hospital. Jessica’s cause of death was ruled respiratory depression due to overdose.