HSE chief paves way for second inquiry

The head of the HSE has paved the way for a separate independent investigation into Savita Halappanavar’s death to run parallel with his organisation’s own controversy-hit inquiry.

Fri, 23 Nov, 2012 - 00:00

Fiachra Ó Cionnaith

HSE director general designate Tony O’Brien revealed he made the decision after watching Savita’s husband Praveen’s emotional Prime Time interview.

Speaking on RTÉ’s News At One programme, Mr O’Brien said he wrote to Hiqa chief executive Dr Tracey Cooper yesterday to confirm the second investigation could be launched.

The HSE boss insisted it would be “absolutely negligent, criminally negligent” for the HSE inquiry to be scrapped as it is needed to examine whether pregnant women are receiving the care they are entitled to at Galway University Hospital.

Mr O’Brien said he had no problem with Hiqa organising its own independent investigation: “I know he [Praveen] has concerns about wanting a different inquiry. This [HSE] inquiry does not preclude that.

“They can initiate their own inquiry, and have full access to the information from the [HSE] inquiry team. There’s no way we can stop this [HSE] inquiry, it would be absolutely negligent, criminally negligent, to do so. But I would request they [Hiqa] start their own statutory inquiry even before ours is brought to conclusion,” he said.

Mr O’Brien said “no human being” could have watched Praveen’s TV interview and not feel empathy for the widower. However, addressing Praveen’s refusal to co-operate with the HSE inquiry, he added: “What I have to emphasise, and I don’t want to cause offence, is even if they don’t co-operate, this review has to be brought to fruition.”

Mr O’Brien rejected claims by Praveen’s solicitor, Gerard O’Donnell, that the HSE inquiry cannot access Savita’s files without her widower’s permission.

The HSE boss said he has received “very firm and clear legal advice” that “family consent is not required, the notes are in fact not owned by the family but by the health service”.

Mr O’Brien said the HSE inquiry’s chairman, Prof Sabaratnam Arulkumaran, has already accessed the files and interviewed relevant medics, but would meet Praveen if this was allowed.