A FRESH INVESTIGATION into the death of a Shannon teenager has been announced by the HSE.
Aoife Johnston (16) died on December 19th 2022 of bacterial meningitis at University Hospital Limerick (UHL). She had presented at the hospital, two days previous.
On Monday evening, the Health Service Executive ordered a formal investigation into the death of the St Caimin’s Community School pupil. The HSE said that CEO Bernard Gloster has considered a report, which the agency received this month, into the death.
This initial 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 had commissioned the report last January, it was due to be completed in March but was only given to Aoife’s family in the past fortnight.
Of this review, the HSE stated, “the report is significant in its findings about the care of Aoife and the operation of the hospital. Having considered all of the matters, the CEO is satisfied that questions of accountability need to be addressed,” the statement added.
CEO of the HSE, Bernard Gloster has announced the appointment of former Chief Justice Mr Justice Frank Clarke (retired) to conduct a formal investigation into all of these matters, to make findings and to report to him. The investigation is to be “timely but thorough”, he added, and its outcome “will inform any further decisions to be made”.
In his statement issued to The Clare Echo, Gloster outlined, “There are many situations in health and social care where analysis of adverse incidents can glean learnings for improvement. There are also situations where clearly further investigation is required and I am satisfied this is one of those. I intend to finalise the Terms of Reference in the coming weeks and have asked Mr Justice Clarke to conduct a timely but thorough investigation. I will not be in a position to provide any further details at this time, but again take the opportunity on behalf of the HSE, at the time of her first anniversary to apologise unreservedly to Aoife’s family, recognising no words of mine can ever take away their loss. I do however assure them that the issues raised in the report will be investigated thoroughly”.
Ms Johnston’s family said that it is “satisfied” that a more thorough inquiry into the death will be carried out.
A statement, issued by Senior Counsel Damien Tansey on their behalf, said, “We got the report following the review carried out this year, belatedly, and close to the anniversary of her death”.
Their statement added, “The family welcomed, albeit belatedly, the publication and delivery of the report prepared by the review committee following their investigation. Clearly, a lot of questions remain unanswered in the report and the family are very satisfied that a more indepth and forensic investigation will now be conducted under the chairmanship of the retired Chief Justice Frank Clarke.
“Clearly, they are also concerned that whatever needs to be done, following the in-depth forensic investigation, will be done and done in a timely manner so that no other family is faced with the nightmare that is ongoing for the surviving parents and children since this tragedy occurred”.
Senator Martin Conway (FG) has said the fresh investigation is a welcome development. “This is a very tragic case and puts a lot of issues into perspective for everyone at this time of year. Aoife’s family have lived with her passing for the last 12 months and they deserve to know the circumstances of everything surrounding their experiences at UHL last December”.
“I hope this investigation, overseen by former Chief Justice Mr Justice Frank Clarke, takes place in a speedy manner, and without any delays, so that the HSE can be best informed as to what should happen thereafter,” the Ennistymon Senator added.
