Consultant admits systems failures at hospital

Systems failures in the care of Savita Halappanavar have been acknowledged by her consultant.

Katherine Astbury agreed yesterday that the requirement to observe Ms Halappanavar every four hours after she had suffered ruptured membranes had not been carried out. Dr Astbury also admitted that she had not been informed of an abnormal white cell count in a blood test.

The inquest into the death of the 31-year-old Indian dentist heard in addition, that because of a lack of communication, vital information concerning a foul-smelling discharge had not been brought to her attention for several hours after it had been noted in her chart by another doctor.