'She fell between the cracks': Hospital and GP apologise after woman died from multi-organ failure

Dymphna Dykes became acutely unwell six months after being put on Isoniazid medication and was transferred to hospital but was not deemed a candidate for a liver transplant, court heard

Dymphna Dykes: Died of multi-organ failure on March 26, 2021. 

A hospital and a GP have apologised for the shortcomings and failings in care to a woman who died from multi-organ failure linked to a toxic side-effect of a drug prescribed for her.

Dymphna Dykes, a 68-year-old grandmother, died from multi-organ failure due to acute liver failure linked to the side-effect of the drug Isoniazid.

The family’s counsel, Jeremy Maher, instructed by Cian O’Carroll solicitors, told the High Court it was a sad case where Mrs Dykes had been put on the drug to treat her latent tuberculosis with monthly liver function tests to be carried out.

If the tests had been carried out, he said it would have been obvious her liver had deteriorated and “it could have been stopped in its tracks". 

Mrs Dykes, he said, became acutely unwell six months after being put on the medication and was transferred to hospital but was not deemed a candidate for a liver transplant. She died of multi-organ failure on March 26, 2021.

The liver function tests for Mrs Dykes “never happened and she fell between the cracks", said Mr Maher.

The apologies were read out in court as Frederick Dykes, of Virginia Heights, Tallaght, Dublin, and his two daughters, Aiveen Dykes and Kerena Turner, settled a High Court action against GP Siobhan Kierans, who practised at Tallaght Medical Centre, Redwood View, Tallaght, and Tallaght University Hospital over the death of Mrs Dykes.

Counsel told the court that a breach of duty and causation had been admitted and the case was settled after mediation.

In an apology read to the court, Tallaght University Hospital chief executive Barbara Keogh Dunne offered sincere condolences to the Dykes family.

She said: “It is a matter of deep regret that there were shortcomings in the care we provided to Dymphna which resulted in her death, and I wish to sincerely apologise for this. 

"The hospital would like to acknowledge the ongoing sadness and distress this has caused your family.“ 

Dr Kierans, in a letter read to the court, offered her “heartfelt apologies for the failings in my care that led to the death of your late wife and mother and for the distress suffered by your family".

She added: “I understand that this apology cannot negate the adverse effect the loss of your wife and mother has had on your lives, and I am truly sorry for same.” 

In the proceedings, it was claimed against Dr Kierans that there was a failure to treat Ms Dykes in accordance with the standard of care expected of medical practitioners of reasonable competence and skill.

Mrs Dykes’ liver function had been permitted to deteriorate unchecked, resulting in her death, it was claimed.

Against the hospital, it was claimed there was a failure, as the instigator of the woman’s course of Isoniazid, to ensure monthly monitoring of Mrs Dykes' liver function.

There was also a failure to ensure the liver tests were carried out, despite reviewing Mrs Dykes on a number of occasions, it was claimed.

There was a failure to undertake any liver function tests after prescribing the medication in August 2020 up to her admission into hospital in February 2021 with significant liver dysfunction, it was claimed.

Noting the settlement and the division of the statutory €35,000 mental distress payments, Ms Justice Denise Brett said it was undoubtedly a very tragic event and she conveyed her deepest condolences to the family.

Last year, an inquest into the death of Mrs Dykes, who is originally from Carrick-on-Suir, Co Tipperary, recorded a verdict of medical misadventure in the case.