Girl (13) settles case for €200,000 over alleged delay diagnosing blood disorder

A 13-year-old girl who sued claiming there had been a delay at Cork University Hospital in diagnosing her rare genetic blood disorder has settled a High Court action for €200,000.

It was claimed that when the condition was finally diagnosed when she was seven years of age, there was a failure to react and manage her symptoms for another four years.

Cork University Hospital and the Health Service Executive expressed regret “for the omission which led to the proceedings” being brought by Sophie Randall.

In the letter from the hospital’s chief executive, David Donegan, which was read to the High Court, he said it wished the girl the very best for the future.

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Sophie’s senior counsel, Dr John O’Mahony, told the court the inherited genetic blood disorder, called hereditary spherocytosis, was a lifelong condition that could cause anaemia and other problems.

Counsel said it was their contention the diagnosis should have been made when Sophie was four but the condition was not diagnosed until she was seven in 2017. Counsel said that from that time “nothing was done until 2021, when the matter became more pressing”.

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He said the real criticism is that steps should have been taken to treat Sophie from 2017 onwards and something should have been done to advise her parents on how to manage it.

Counsel said there was a limited admission from the HSE in relation to the case.

Sophie, of Greenfields, Model Farm Road, Cork city, had, through her mother, Emma Randall, sued the HSE over her care at Cork University Hospital.

It was claimed that, aged four, she was referred to Cork University Hospital with elevated bilirubin levels in her blood. It was claimed that a full blood count and other tests as part of a haemolysis screen would have shown Sophie was positive for hereditary spherocytosis, but she was diagnosed with another condition.

It was alleged that there was a failure on that occasion to make the correct diagnosis.

Sophie suffered from intermittent abdominal and gallbladder pain, it was claimed.

After significant gallbladder pain in 2017 and further screening, Sophie was found to be positive for the hereditary blood disorder, but it was claimed there was a failure to react to Sophie’s positive result for the hereditary condition until June 2021.

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Sophie, it was claimed, was not given folic acid supplements to help support and manage her condition until 2021 and she wasn’t advised on the best diet to manage her condition.

It is claimed that if her condition had been diagnosed sooner, her symptoms would have been properly investigated and she would likely have been referred to a surgeon for surgical treatment for her gallbladder pain.

It was further claimed that between 2016 and 2021 Sophie suffered periods of severe gallbladder pain and required treatment at Cork University Hospital during that time.

In June 2021, Sophie was referred to a Dublin hospital where she had her gallbladder removed.

The HSE admitted breach of duty for the delay in diagnosing and providing proper appropriate intervention for Sophie for her inherited blood disorder between May 2016 and June 2021.

However, the HSE denied all claims relating to the period before May 2016 and said the diagnosis made in 2014 was not an unreasonable initial diagnosis.

Approving the settlement, Mr Justice Paul Coffey said it was fair and reasonable. The judge wished Sophie and her family the very best going forward.