Delayed review into woman's death in Kerry hospital 'extremely frustrating'

The review, which was due to be completed in January, will now not be completed until October — after the inquest into her death is expected to be completed

It comes ahead of the opening of an inquest on Wednesday into the death of Zimbabwean native Tatenda Mukwata in University Hospital Kerry on April 21 last year.

The solicitor representing the family of a woman who died after giving birth to a healthy baby in Kerry has criticised the delay in finalising an external review into the circumstances of her death.

It comes ahead of the opening of an inquest on Wednesday into the death of Zimbabwean native Tatenda Mukwata in University Hospital Kerry on April 21 last year. In recent months, the legal team representing the family of Ms Mukwata has sought materials from the hospital ahead of the inquest, including the report from the external review which got underway last September.

However, Ms Mukwata’s family’s legal team has been notified that the review, which was due to be completed in January under the terms of reference, will now not be completed until October — after the inquest into her death is expected to be completed.

Solicitor Conor Murphy told the Irish Examiner that the delay “is extremely frustrating” for the Mukwata family. He said: “It is quite upsetting for the Mukwatas. The death of their mother and their daughter is very important to them.” 

He said the family “urgently wants questions answered”.

In correspondence received by the hospital’s legal team, and seen by the Irish Examiner, the family was told that reviews take considerable time, “particularly ones that involve a number of clinical experts who have very busy patient workloads and clinical commitments in the services they work in”. 

However, Mr Murphy said that while he appreciates that the work by the HSE’s experts is important, “for the family and friends of Tatenda this review is of the utmost importance”.

Advocate and joint co-ordinator of campaign group The Elephant Collective, Dr Jo Murphy-Lawless, said legal teams acting for bereaved families like the Mukwatas are being “effectively blocked in obtaining the hospital and HSE records and documentation required for an accountable inquest process, including so-called internal and external reviews”.

“Article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights, to which this country is a signatory, states unequivocally that in the instance of an unexpected death, these State bodies are required as a positive obligation under Article 2, to carry out an effective and speedy investigation,” she said

MEP Clare Daly, who was active in bringing forward the 2019 Coroners Act which made maternal death inquests mandatory, said: “The passage of the Coroners (Amendment) Act had the explicit goal of ensuring that families who had suffered unimaginable loss would not be subjected to further traumatisation by delays and foot-dragging from the HSE and others when trying to find out what happened to a loved one.” 

A spokesman for the South/South West Hospital Group said: “The South/South West Hospital Group (SSWHG) cannot comment on individual cases”. A HSE spokesman said the SSWHG would “be in better position to respond”.