HSE warns about ‘jumping to conclusions’ over death of mother-to-be in University Hospital Limerick

The 33-year-old woman, who was pregnant with her first child, was admitted to University Maternity Hospital Limerick on February 15.

She was later transferred to University Hospital Limerick (UHL) for tests, including for possible sepsis. The woman and her partner were told they had lost the baby. She died suddenly on Sunday after her condition deteriorated.

UHL has extended its condolences to the woman’s husband, family and loved ones.

The hospital has launched a review into the circumstances of the woman’s death — the second inquiry in four weeks opened into the death of a patient at the hospital.

An inquiry is already under way into the death of a 16-year-old teenager on January 29 in UHL’s Emergency Department.

The teenager had spent two weeks in hospital with a serious respiratory infection and was discharged on January 23.

She was readmitted to UHL on January 29 but collapsed and died in the Emergency Department.

It is understood that the teenager’s family are represented by Damien Tansey Solicitors, the same firm that is acting for the family of Aoife Johnston, the 16-year-old who died in UHL’s Emergency Department in December 2022, after waiting 12 hours to be treated for sepsis.

UHL has come under enormous political and public pressure over the consistent overcrowding in its Emergency Department and patient safety issues.

A review into the death of Aoife Johnston found that hospital overcrowding was “endemic” and identified numerous “missed opportunities” in the care provided to the teenager.

The findings prompted Bernard Gloster, the chief executive of the HSE, to appoint retired chief justice, Frank Clarke, to lead an external inquiry into her care.

Mr Clarke, who was given eight weeks to complete his investigation, is due to report in early March.

The HSE said its first thoughts are with those affected but continued that “commentary” about recent patient deaths had put forward “inappropriate conclusions” that could undermine confidence in the hospital.

“We always address legitimate concern and questions and have done so recently in the Mid-West. However, not every tragic outcome for a family in Limerick means there has been a failure in the service. Not every tragic outcome has the same attributes as other cases in which failure has been identified,” it said in a statement.

“In relation to recent deaths and cases in UHL, each case is looked at in its own right. Two cases are rarely the same. Similarities such as patient age for example, do not suggest the cases are the same,” it continued.

The HSE said that revised national patient safety units will be replicated in the six planned health regions that will “copperfasten” scrutiny and robust questioning.

“We would therefore ask that in relation to recent cases at UHL, as in any unexplained death in any hospital, that commentators not jump to conclusions and to respect the dignity of those who have died, the privacy of their grieving families and the dedication of our staff who come to work each day in the spirit of professionalism and care.”

​Meanwhile Bernard Gloster said the HSE has “robust mechanisms” for inquiring into “unexpected deaths, unexplained poor outcomes and complaints, and we use them very regularly.”

He continued: “In Limerick, as with all our hospitals and services, we have an Incident Framework. When examining a concerning outcome we do not start from a conclusion. We assess the evidence, and then draw conclusions.

“The primary aim is first to establish what happened and how, and then to take any appropriate actions.

“Most such reviews, no matter what the outcome, give us the opportunity to learn how to improve for other patients and service users,” he said.