HOSPITAL APOLOGISES FOR DEATH OF GIRL, 6
a HOSPITAL has apologised to the family of a little girl who died three days after she was treated for low blood sugar.
The parents and younger sister of Aibha Conroy took an action against the HSE over her death in 2011.
A statement from general manager Chris Kane, read out in the High Court yesterday, said: “University Hospital Galway, together with its clinical and nursing staff, wish to extend their sincere and heartfelt sympathy to the Conroy family on the death of their daughter Aibha.
“The hospital acknowledges and greatly regrets the huge trauma and suffering of the Conroy family resulting from the death of Aibha.”
Details of the settlement are confidential. The sixyear-old had been a patient in the hospital and was diagnosed with hypoglycaemia, but was not referred on for specialist care.
She was admitted again on December 11, 2011, with low blood sugar. Mr Justice Kevin Cross was told Aibha had a cardiac arrest in A&E, was ventilated and intubated and transferred to Temple Street Children’s Hospital. However, her life support was disconnected after three days and she passed away on December 14. The statement, which was read out as part of the settlement, said the hospital deeply regretted and apologised to Kathleen and John Conroy and their family “for the failure to refer Aibha to Crumlin Children’s Hospital for investigations” Conroy family solicitor damien Tansey following her admission in August 2011.
Representing the HSE, Declan Buckley SC told the court a consultant paediatric endocrinologist has now been appointed to the hospital and will take up the position next June.
The family’s lawyer Des O’neill said Aibha had presented at the Galway hospital on three occasions in 2011 and in August a diagnosis of hypoglycaemia had been made.
However, she was not referred on for expert analysis and there was no endocrinologist in Galway at the time.
Mr O’neill said Aibha was brought to the hospital on December 11, 2011, with low blood sugar and was given dextrose treatment.
She had a cardiac arrest and was revived and transferred to Dublin where she died three days later. It was claimed had Aibha been properly investigated in her previous visits her underlying condition would have been identified and appropriate treatment instituted by September 2011.
It was further claimed there was a failure to carry out thorough investigations the previous month, Aibha was allegedly managed in a substandard fashion and there was a failure to refer her to a paediatric endocrinologist.
Mr Justice Cross was told the family – from Gowla, Connemara, Co Galway – wanted the entire statutory amount of €25,300 to be paid to Aibha’s sister Sorcha.
Approving the settlement, he said the family had been “very sensible and noble” in relation to the case and he offered his sympathies on Aibha’s death.
HIGH COURT YESTERDAY
The hospital greatly regrets huge trauma and suffering of the family
UHC STATEMENT