The HSE has ordered a new investigation into the tragic death of Shannon Teenager Aoife Johnston at University Hospital Limerick.
Sixteen Year-Old Aoife passed away from bacterial meningitis on the 19th of December last after waiting on a trolley for twelve hours at UHL’s Emergency Department.
Last week, the UL Hospitals Group shared an internal review into Aoife’s death with the Johnston family and issued an apology to the family for the “serious failings in the care provided to their daughter.”
The CEO of the HSE, Bernard Gloster has since considered the report received this month and has decided to conduct a formal investigation on the matter.
In a statement published by the HSE, Mr Gloster says “he is satisfied that questions of accountability need to be addressed.”
Former Supreme Court Justice Frank Clarke has been appointed to conduct the investigation and the HSE says the outcome of this will inform any further decisions to be made.
Statement from HSE CEO Bernard Gloster
“I have appointed the 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 me. The outcome of this investigation will inform any further decisions to be made.
“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.”
