Joel incident will not recur, pledges Harney
Indicating a major overhaul of the health service’s tracking and outreach procedures, Ms Harney made it clear serious lessons needed to be learned from the tragedy.
The Health Minister said she would not prejudge two official inquiries under way into the squalid death of MS sufferer Ms Joel, who wasted away to four stone at her daughter’s home before dying in hospital, but insisted the situation could not be repeated.
“If it was the case the health authorities in Wexford were aware of Evelyn Joel being an MS patient in vulnerable circumstances and no visit occurred and no effort made to make contact with her was made that would be very serious indeed. That cannot be allowed to happen.
“There were very serious failings, but where the responsibility lies remains to be determined.
“We have to make sure that something like this cannot happen again,” she said.
