Medical Council had suggested hospital changes

THE Medical Council gave prior warning about difficulties at Cavan General Hospital which sent tragic schoolgirl Frances Sheridan home with a fatal condition after misdiagnosing her as having a tummy bug.

It emerged yesterday the Council had sent a delegation to the hospital and made recommendations for improvements in practice and procedures there before the bungling that led to the nine-year-old’s death last February.

Council President Dr John Hillery said the Council was “very concerned” at what had happened to Frances, particularly in light of its direct contact with the hospital. “We made recommendations and we had assurances that these were going to be followed up on,” he said.