Family ‘in the dark’ over woman’s death

THE family of a woman who died alone in a hospital toilet are still in the dark as to what happened to her — nine months later.

Beverly Seville-Doyle, 39, died in the Mater Hospital in Dublin last January while waiting for a bed in the accident and emergency department.

The diabetic and mother-of-three had attended a clinic in the Mater Private Hospital. She was feeling unwell and the consultant decided to keep her in hospital overnight for observation. Although she was a private patient, she was told there was no bed available for her. She was referred to the A&E department that evening where she was assigned a chair and put on a drip.

Early the following day — January 15, and 19 hours after first attending hospital, Ms Seville-Doyle walked to the toilet unaccompanied. She was later found in a collapsed state in the toilet by nurses.

Her two brothers, Colm and Philip Seville, were at a press conference in a Dublin hotel yesterday to publicise a march calling for the protection and improvement of the health service in the capital on Saturday next.

The brothers said the disgraceful way in which their sister died was reason enough to take to the streets. Colm Seville said the family had made numerous attempts to find out what happened to Ms Seville-Doyle, but had come up against a brick wall. “What happened to our sister could happen to anybody,” he said.

He said the family was still waiting for the inquest into the death of Ms Seville-Doyle that they now expected would take place in November.

The family is now considering asking the state’s health service watchdog — the Health Information and Quality Authority to carry out an independent review. Mr Seville said the family had written to the Health Minister Mary Harney, but has got no response, not even a letter of condolence. “We are still waiting for answers about what happened to our sister,” said Mr Seville.

Philip Seville said there had been no communication from the hospital or the HSE.

A spokesperson for the Mater said the hospital was precluded from commenting on the case as it was now with the coroner, but pointed out that a hospital official met with the woman’s family immediately after her death.

General secretary of the Irish Nurses Organisation Liam Doran, who was also speaking about the forthcoming march, said the proposed health cuts would put the ability of the country to have a world class service back 20 years.

The Public Service Health Campaign will hold a march and rally in Dublin this Saturday, October 11, at 2pm, from the Garden of Remembrance, Parnell Square.