An inquiry into the death of Shannon teenager Aoife Johnston will inform “current and future service delivery” at University Hospital Limerick.
The HSE has published the terms of reference for an independent investigation into Aoife’s care at the facility which is to be carried out by former Chief Justice Frank Clarke.
16-year-old Aoife Johnston passed away at University Hospital Limerick on December 19th 2022 due to sepsis complications of bacterial meningitis after a 12-hour wait in the emergency department.
The announcement of the investigation’s terms of reference comes after a Systems Analysis Report published in late December found overcrowding to be “endemic” at the facility’s ED.
Also among the findings was that staff have “little apparent understanding of the risks and inefficiencies caused to patient care by a crowded environment”.
The scope of former Chief Justice Frank Clarke’s investigation is to provide an “evidence-based report” on the circumstances surrounding Aoife’s death and the “clinical and corporate governance” at UHL.
It also intends to identify any other factors or causes which can improve “current and future service delivery”.
The investigator must conduct the investigation within eight weeks and produce a written report.
The terms of reference also note that the investigator may meet with any person or persons who can assist with the investigation as the investigator deems appropriate.
The terms of reference can be viewed in full here.
