Mother of six left in coma after heart attack settles action against Kerry GP

The court heard that when Mrs Doyle presented with chest pain, she claims she should have been given aspirin and sent to hospital

Mother of six Joan Doyle had told the High Court that when she went to her family doctor with “horrible and severe pain” which had travelled up her neck and down her shoulder, he said after checks that her heart and lungs were perfect and an ECG was fine. File photo

A woman who was in a coma for four days after she suffered a heart attack at her Kerry home weeks after she attended her GP with chest pain has settled her High Court action.

Mother of six Joan Doyle had told the High Court that when she went to her family doctor with “horrible and severe pain” which had travelled up her neck and down her shoulder, he said after checks that her heart and lungs were perfect and an ECG was fine.

She said she does not remember over three weeks later on the night of April 17, 2019, when she suffered a cardiac arrest in her kitchen but said her husband James who performed CPR on her saved her life.

Joan Doyle (66) Kilgobnet, Beaufort, Killarney, Co. Kerry, had sued her family doctor for the last 10 years Edmond Prendiville, of Daly's Lane Practice, Killorglin, Co. Kerry, over the care she received.

The court heard all the claims were denied and liability was at issue in the case.

Opening the action last week, Eugene Gleeson SC instructed by Kent Carty Solicitors told the court it was their case that the GP's care of Mrs Doyle was allegedly “substandard”.

Counsel added it was their contention that when Mrs Doyle presented with chest pain on March 26, 2019, she should have been given aspirin and arrangements made for her to go to hospital.

In the proceedings, it was claimed there was an alleged failure to prescribe any medication to assist Mrs Doyle with an earlier elevated platelet count and an alleged failure to recognise ECG results of March 2019 were allegedly abnormal.

Simons Mills SC, for the GP, told the court that a GP expert on their side would say based on a blind reading of the ECG taken on March 26, 2019, along with the information in the clinical notes, he too would have concluded there was no cardiac event.

When the case came back before the High Court this week, Mr Justice Tony O’Connor was told the case had been settled. The terms of the settlement are confidential.