'People talk about hospital beds. But there's babies dying around the country in hospitals'

Rachel Harrington and Pat O’Sullivan at the Cork City Coroner’s Court in 2022, for the inquest into the death of their son Elijah.

A couple whose baby died in Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) nearly two years ago are backing calls for a commission of inquiry into avoidable baby deaths at the country's maternity hospitals.

Baby Elijah O’Sullivan died on May 6, 2022, a day after his mother Rachel Harrington presented to the hospital’s emergency department. 

An inquest into his death on Thursday at Cork City Coroner’s Court heard that several opportunities to save the baby boy's life were missed.

The Douglas couple, who are now suing the hospital, say the first time anybody from CUMH apologised to them was at Elijah’s inquest, when a barrister read a brief apology out on behalf of CUMH.

They are now backing calls for a commission of investigation into avoidable mother and baby deaths and injuries.

Research conducted by the Irish Examiner estimates there have been at least 42 avoidable hospital baby deaths since 2013.

Ms Harrington, 27, said: “We 100% back the calls for a Commission of Investigation.

People often talk about hospital beds. But although that is a big issue, there's babies dying consistently around the country in hospitals, and that's just not good enough.

“It is life or death and we need to do something about it before more families experience this.”

Elijah O’Sullivan died on May 6, 2022 a day after his mother Rachel Harrington presented to the hospital’s emergency department.

It was the second time she had gone to the ED because her son had either stopped moving or was showing reduced movement, Cork City Coroner’s Court heard.

Although she was kept in overnight and regularly monitored, a cardiotocography (CTG) of her baby's heart rate was later found to have been misinterpreted by one or more maternity staff.

In addition to being wrongly interpreted as “normal” instead of “pathological”, indicating a potential need for immediate intervention, such as a Caesarean Section, the CTG was also stopped.

Ms Harrington’s CUMH Consultant Dr Matt Hewitt told the inquest the CTG should not have been stopped.

In giving his verdict of medical misadventure, Cork City Coroner Philip Comyn said: “The fact that the CTG was misinterpreted meant the opportunity was lost for intervention that may well have saved his life.” 

Before evidence was heard at the inquest, CUMH’s barrister Caoimhe Daly said the hospital admits “there were missed opportunities” and was “truly sorry” to Elijah’s family for what had happened. Ms Harrington said: 

That was the first time since Elijah had died that we have received any apology from the hospital, or any acknowledgement, or sympathies or anything, It’s been very disappointing.

“We've had very little engagement. They haven't asked us for direct input into the review and we weren't even led to believe that there was a review.

“I had contacted CUMH asking for some updates and involvement, and I heard nothing back until (the day of the inquest).” 

Mr O’Sullivan added: “We were also told that this Inquest is something that we don't need legal representation for.

“But we feel that if we didn't have it (at the inquest) that we would have been like a deer in the headlights, that we maybe wouldn't have got the right verdict.” 

A spokesperson for CUMH said: “Cork University Maternity Hospital cannot comment on individual cases”.