Report into Aoife Johnston's death to be published by Monday

Aoife Johnston died at University Hospital Limerick in December 2022 in traumatic circumstances having gone to the emergency department with suspected sepsis.

A report on the death of teenager Aoife Johnston will not be published “later than Monday”, HSE chief Bernard Gloster has said. 

The report by former Chief Justice Frank Clarke was given to the HSE and the bereaved family in July. The 16-year-old died at University Hospital Limerick in December 2022 in traumatic circumstances having gone to the emergency department with suspected sepsis.

Mr Gloster told the Oireachtas Health Committee that it is a sensitive matter when asked questions by Sinn Féin's David Cullinane.

"I can confirm this morning that I will be publishing the report not later than this coming Monday,” he said. "I want to establish contact with the solicitor for the family later today, as I have done previously, just to give people fair opportunity and notice of that but the latest it will be published is this coming Monday."

Mr Gloster He suggested some concerns about the report are misplaced but said he can only comment on this after publication.

"It is important in the public interest that the report is published appropriately. I am very conscious of the commentary about the report in the past couple of days. It is important that commentary is addressed and I believe the best way to address it is when the totality of the report is there."

It is a very comprehensive and effective report. It is one that completely fulfilled all of its terms of reference.

Mr Cullinane also queried in general the impact of plans to tackle waiting lists, describing them as “static”. Mr Gloster said the important measure for waiting lists is how long people wait rather than necessarily the actual number.

“The weighted average waiting time for OPD [Out Patient Department] services has gone from 10 months to 7.5 months at the start of this year and despite continued unprecedented growth in demand we are at the end of August looking at 7.2 months,” he said.

Department of Health secretary general Robert Watt also addressed the committee, warning high levels of spending cannot continue.

“It is clear that it is not sustainable long term to continue to increase the health budget in line with demand every year,” he said. “We must meet the increased level of demands in health by reforming how we do things as well.” 

He referred to the Productivity and Savings Taskforce set up earlier this year. Among the changes they are looking at, he said, are opportunities to maximise operating theatre use to meet demand and reduce waiting lists, new models of care, care in the community and Virtual Wards for patients.