Micheál Martin – Fundamental reform must happen in wake of Aoife Johnston's death at UHL

Tánaiste Micheál Martin speaking to reporters at the inaugural Joint Euro-American Forum on Cancer at Farmleigh House. Picture: MacInnes Photography

There must be "serious action" at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) following the Aoife Johnston inquest verdict, the Tánaiste has said.

On Thursday, a verdict of medical misadventure was returned at the inquest of the 16-year-old from Clare who died on December 19, 2022, after being left without vital antibiotics for nearly 17 hours.

The inquest heard numerous submissions that UHL was extremely busy on the weekend Ms Johnston died. 

Damien Tansey SC, for the Johnston family, said UHL emergency medicine consultant Dr James Gray "described the casualty department in Limerick that weekend as a death trap".

On Friday in Dublin, Micheál Martin said the verdict must bring about real change at the hospital. He said he sympathised with the family and that it was "absolutely devastating" for Ms Johnston's family.

“It is unquestionably a failure of care within the hospital and in my view, serious action has to take place,” he said.

“I think there have been issues in my view around governance structures in the hospital. There’s a need for fundamental reform at the hospital in respect of how things are organised.

"There is a need to respond properly to an unacceptable and devastating loss of life, all for the want of prescribing antibiotics for sepsis situations."

Mr Martin also indicated that there may be a review of services in the region. A decision was made in 2009 to close three 24-hour emergency departments in the region and funnel them to Limerick, with campaigners long voicing their opposition to the move.

“I would also say then that there should be a review of the entire region," Mr Martin said.

"The clinical advice has always been to concentrate services into a tertiary hospital in a given region. Given the level of failure within UHL, I think it is fair for people to ask for a review. Things have changed and a lot more will change."

Mr Martin denied that the Government had waited for the inquest to call for change, saying there has been "significant engagement" between the HSE and other stakeholders.

Asked if he would recommend a loved one attend UHL, Mr Martin said  he would suggest anyone attend their GP and follow that medical advice.

"You have to be careful in making simplistic statements. My view is that if someone's very ill, and needs to be treated, the person needs to be treated in the nearest hospital. And in the first instance, (they should be) taking advice from a GP."