Review into fatal assault of Matthew Healy in Cork hospital to be completed this month

The review was launched after the 89-year-old was fatally injured in a general ward of the hospital

Matthew Healy, a retired farmer from Berrings, Co Cork, died on January 22, after an incident in a six-person ward of a hospital.

An internal review continuing at the Mercy University Hospital (MUH) in Cork following the fatal assault of an elderly man in January should be completed by the end of this month.

 Matthew Healy, an 89-year-old retired farmer from Berrings, Co Cork, died on January 22, after an incident in a six-person ward of the hospital.

A man has been charged with his murder.

The review was launched after he was fatally injured in a general ward of the hospital. It is being carried out by a team adhering to the guidelines laid out in the Health Service Executive’s Incident Management Framework.

Under that framework, such reviews should be completed within 125 days of the incident — meaning that the review into Mr Healy’s death should be completed by May 28.

The framework states: “To assist with a responsive and timely approach to review and with building a culture of safety, reviews should be completed within the shortest possible timeframe. For Concise and Comprehensive Reviews this should not exceed 125 days from the time of occurrence of the incident. It is however accepted that in some circumstances this timeframe will not be achievable.” 

A spokesman for the Mercy University Hospital confirmed that the investigation is ongoing.

In the aftermath of the incident, counselling services were provided to patients and staff affected by the incident. Patients who saw the incident were subsequently moved to another ward.

The hospital, which is located in Cork City centre, was founded in 1857 and has a capacity for approximately 220 patients.

Mr Healy’s death came just three weeks after his wife Delia passed away.