UHL accused of 'cover-up' to protect surgeon found guilty of professional misconduct over death of teenager

TD calls for criminal investigation into hospital amid 'allegations of tampering with evidence and misleading an independent inquiry'

Surgeon was found guilty on three counts of professional misconduct and 10 counts of poor professional performance in relation to the death of 18-year-old Jessica Sheedy.

There was a "cover-up" at University Hospital Limerick in a bid to "protect" a surgeon found guilty of professional misconduct over the death of Limerick teenager, the Dáil has been told.

University Hospital Limerick’s Dr Ashish Lal admitted to the fitness-to-practise committee he did not ask for help during the complex surgery, which he admitted performing without having adequate experience or surgical support.

On Tuesday, the committee found Dr Lal guilty on three counts of professional misconduct and 10 counts of poor professional performance in relation to the death of 18-year-old Jessica Sheedy.

During Wednesday's leaders' questions, Independent Ireland TD Richard O'Donoghue said a criminal investigation should be carried out into the hospital's previous management, though he stressed his respect for those currently in charge of the hospital.

"I believe there should now be a criminal investigation into the CEO at the time of this misconduct. There are allegations of tampering with evidence and misleading an independent inquiry by not providing all documentation required for that inquiry to make a decision. 

"There have been two independent inquiries but it is only now that all of the information has come out. It is alleged that staff members were silenced and made to sign non-disclosure agreements to protect Dr Lal, who has now admitted misconduct. For eight years, people have been put at risk because of a cover-up in the hospital to protect Dr Lal.

"That is what we are on about. There has been nothing about the patients who have gone in there. It is a learning hospital. If best practice was followed and something went wrong, you would put your hands up and fix what is wrong because it is a hospital."

During the hearing, which began on Monday, the committee heard Dr Lal — who was present for the inquiry — did not seek assistance from a vascular surgeon “in a sufficiently timely manner” after Ms Sheedy suffered major blood loss during the procedure he performed on her on May 8, 2018.

The inquiry found Dr Lal presented the case before an oncology multidisciplinary team meeting on January 19, 2018, in circumstances where he knew or ought to have known this was not the appropriate forum to discuss the treatment plan and/or consideration of surgery in relation to the patient.

Responding in the Dáil, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said there "has to be accountability".

"It seems to me that person should never have proceeded with the operation, should never have been doing the operation. I cannot comprehend how that happened. A benign tumour should have been a straightforward procedure. Dr Lal has been the subject of a number of factual allegations and he has made full admissions. There are very serious issues here.

"I do not want to prejudice what may follow here. This has to be examined in the most comprehensive way, because questions arise then in the light of all of those clinical failings which have resulted in the loss of life of a beautiful young woman. It should never have happened."

Mr Martin added "words are of no use" to the Sheedy family. Mr O'Donoghue said the issue had been "buried" for eight years.