Hospital failure: Frances could have been saved

A NINE-YEAR-OLD girl who died after being misdiagnosed by two inexperienced junior doctors as having a tummy bug might have been saved if senior staff had been consulted.

The North Eastern Health Board yesterday admitted a “failure to adequately assess and manage” patient Frances Sheridan from New Line, Cootehill, Co Cavan, who died on last February 1, 36 hours after she was discharged from Cavan General Hospital.

Her parents, Brian and Rosemary, said last night they were greatly distressed by the board’s findings and found it “devastating” that their daughter’s death may have been avoided if she had been properly treated.