The care provided by a Belfast hospital for a 61-year-old woman with throat problems in the last four days of her life fell short of what was expected, an investigation by the North’s Ombudsman has revealed.

The British government should consider Australian-style reforms to enable hospitals to apologise for mistakes without fear of litigation, Northern Ireland’s Ombudsman Tom Frawley said today.

Two men and a woman pensioner are being treated for Legionnaires’ disease in the North, it emerged tonight.

A former health board chief and a solicitor were among six Northern Ireland judicial appointments today.