*Aoife Johnston (RIP).
AN APOLOGY has been issued to a Shannon family by the HSE for “serious failings” at University Hospital Limerick.
Aoife Johnston was only sixteen years old when she died of bacterial meningitis at University Hospital Limerick on December 19th 2022. Her death occurred two days after she first presented at the hospital.
Members of the Johnston family were provided last week with an internal review into the circumstances of her death. A letter of apology has also been sent by Colette Cowan, Chief Executive of the UL Hospitals Group.
This report found Aoife waited 12 hours in UHL’s severely overcrowded emergency department and was not treated for sepsis until it was too late.
She was not given the care she required despite her family desperately flagging her deteriorating condition. The review found that delays in her treatment breached national guidelines on sepsis management.
UHL commissioned the report last January, it was due to be completed in March but was only given to Aoife’s family in the past week. The review was commissioned by Prof Brian Lenehan, Chief Clinical Director, UL Hospitals Group, and completed by an expert HSE team external to UL Hospitals Group under the HSE Incident Management Framework.
According to the review, a severe staff shortage was evident on that weekend last December. The hospital’s escalation plan was not adhered to. The review has been referred to the Coroner who has yet to make a determination in the case.
HSE CEO Bernard Gloster has received the review and is that the UL Hospitals Group has offered an apology for the failings in care identified in the review. Gloster is willing to meet the family privately should they wish to do so.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the HSE outlined, “We have this week shared with the family the review into the tragic death of their daughter. We have apologised to them for the serious failings in the care we provided to their daughter which have been identified in the review. The CEO of the HSE Mr Bernard Gloster received the review in recent days and is considering the very serious and significant issues that arise.
“He is aware that ULHG have offered a sincere apology for the failings in the care we provided to this girl which have been identified by the review. He is willing to meet the family privately should they wish to do so but it is a matter for the family to decide if and when they might like to do this. Out of respect for the family, and to give the Coroner time to consider the matter, we will not be commenting further on the report at this time. We wish to extend our sincere condolences to the family following their devastating loss”.
At a briefing with health officials on Monday, Cllr Paul Murphy (FG) referenced Aoife’s tragic death. “Are there changes planned in UHL to make sure the likes of that will not happen again,” the Clarecastle representative queried.
Chief Operating Officer of UL Hospitals Group, Noreen Spillane replied, “the reporting has been issued to the family and Professor Cowan has issued an apology, I am unable to comment any further on that case”.
