Aoife Johnston death: 'HSE doesn't know how to behave towards bereaved family'

Family of Shannon teenager who died after waiting 12 hours for treatment at University Hospital Limerick learned details of independent investigation 'from the media'

Aoife Johnston, 16, died from meningitis in UHL on December 19, 2022, after waiting 12 hours for treatment.

The HSE and Department of Health do not know how to behave towards bereaved families, the solicitor for the family of Aoife Johnston has said.

Ms Johnston, aged 16, was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and later developed sepsis, having been in University Hospital Limerick's emergency department awaiting help. A review of her care identified a 12-hour delay in sepsis care, among other concerns. 

This led the HSE to announce an independent investigation, terms of reference for which were published last week.

However, Damien Tansey, senior counsel and senior partner at Damien Tansey Solicitors, said the family did not know these announcements were coming.

“They learned it from the media,” he said. “It is unfair. At the very minimum, they are entitled to equality of arms.

The HSE know everything and they know nothing, except what they learn from the media.

The family expects to travel to Dublin to meet Health Minister Stephen Donnelly later this month.

Aoife Johnston's family expects to travel to Dublin to meet Health Minister Stephen Donnelly later this month. Picture: Brian Lawless/PA

Mr Tansey said while he accepted Mr Donnelly's explanation for why the family was not included in writing the terms of reference, many concerns remain.

The minister said that neither the family nor staff were involved, and told RTÉ: “If adverse findings are made, there are processes that might follow from this investigation.” 

Speaking to the Irish Examiner  after hearing that interview, Mr Tansey said: “Why wasn’t this explained to the family before this was announced in the media? They just don’t know how to behave.” 

The investigation itself was announced on December 18, the day before the first anniversary of Ms Johnston’s death on December 19, 2022.

Solicitor Damien Tansey said reports and reviews are 'the Government and HSE seeking to convince the public they are dealing with this matter in an appropriate manner'. Picture: Collins Courts

“This is the Government and HSE seeking to convince the public they are dealing with this matter in an appropriate manner,” he said of the reports and reviews.

But there is no appreciation for the fact that behind all of this officialdom, there is a family trying to cope with the grief brought on by this unspeakable tragedy.

“The fact that all of this media attention is now taking place in relation to this officialdom is forcing the family to have to deal with their grief in a public arena, which is appalling.” 

Some findings by the review which led to the investigation were published by the HSE in the terms of reference.

The review found overcrowding is “endemic” in University Hospital Limerick, and nursing staff numbers in the emergency department are “insufficient”, as are consultants in emergency medicine.

It found a high turnover among nurses and non-consultant hospital doctors and that this leads to “low experience levels and low situational awareness” in the unit.

The investigation, to be led by former chief justice Frank Clarke, will also look at the overall management of the hospital.