Woman devastated after mix-up led to positive test for HIV, court told

A woman broke down as she told how she was devastated when she was given a positive test result for HIV after a hospital mixed up her blood sample with that of another person.

“I was devastated. I thought I was going to die, that I had no future,” said Michelle Kenny, who has sued St James’s Hospital, Dublin, for nervous shock over the mix-up in 2010.

“I thought ‘how could this happen to me? My life is over’,” she told Ms Justice Bronagh O’Hanlon at the High Court.

Ms Kenny, 35, who works as a clerical officer at St James’s, had two more hospital blood tests, which showed an all clear, and another test through her GP, which was also clear. She said she knows she is not HIV positive but she does not socialise any more and she just feels safe at home.

The hospital has admitted liability in the case and that it mixed up two blood samples, but is contending that Ms Kenny, who is from the Crumlin area of Dublin, did not suffer loss or damage.

Ms Kenny told the court she had begun to feel unwell while on holiday in 2010.

When she went back to work at St James’s on August 17, 2010, she went to casualty where she had an ECG, chest X-rays and blood tests. She was discharged on August 23.

On October 6, 2010, she attended the outpatient clinic where an assessment was carried out and a doctor asked could they also do a blood test for HIV.

Ms Kenny said on October 13, the doctor rang her to say she did not have active TB and would ring her back in a few minutes about the HIV test. When the doctor rang back, Ms Kenny said she asked was somebody with her and she replied that she was alone.

“I asked was there anything wrong and she said the results of the tests were a bit worrying and it was not good. I said are you saying it is positive and she said ‘yes, you are HIV positive’.”

Ms Kenny said she was screaming down the phone that it can’t be true. She said the doctor was trying to reassure her and invited her to take the blood test again.

She said she had the blood test again and then went with her friend to tell her mother and later her father and brother. “I felt more devastated for them. My mother broke down when I told her. My family were very supportive and said they still loved me and felt the same about me.”

When she got the result on the second test, she was told it was clear, and she said the doctor told her there had been a mix-up with the first sample. A third test also came up clear and negative.

“I felt relieved… I went to my GP and I had a fourth test and that came back clear as well. I accept it was an honest mistake. The doctor at the hospital helped me every way she could.”

The case continues today.