AN assembly member has raised concerns about staffing levels in Maghaberry jail following a critical report into the death of inmate Patrick Kelly.
The Prisoner Ombudsman found that several opportunities to help the 46-year-old had been missed while he was on remand at the Co Antrim jail last year.
He died after overdosing on prescribed medication which he had stockpiled when safeguarding measures were lifted.
Kelly had previously asked not to be allowed to keep his medication because he was afraid he would take it all.
However, after four days on "supervised swallow" he was returned to "in-possession" status, without any measures in place to stop a potential overdose.
In the report, investigators said prison officers and nurses overlooked crucial medical documents and failed to recognise that he was at high risk of self harm.
It comes just a fortnight after a separate Prisoner Ombudsman report found that staff watched as a mentally ill inmate blinded himself but failed to intervene.
Ulster Unionist Doug Beattie said the latest report raised issues about staffing levels.
"Recently I was made aware that manning levels at Maghaberry were nearly 100 less than should be the case for a prison of over 870 inmates," he said.
"Given that there are a further 40 or so officers off on sick leave, I have no doubt that the prison is continually and chronically understaffed.
“I recently challenged the justice minister about the level of night supervision with approximately 25 prison staff on duty from a meagre minimum manning level of 31.
“These manning statistics are frankly staggering for a prison with such a variety of challenges and they must influence decision making when it comes to prisoners like Patrick Kelly."
He said concerns about budget cuts to the Prison Service, coupled with an increase in mental health issues within the north's prisons, must be addressed by the executive.
