Courts

Woman (21) wanted to go home after 13 hours ‘in agony’ on hospital trolley, court told

Late Eve Cleary’s family suing Health Service Executive over her death and for mental distress

Barry Cleary and his wife, Melanie Sheehan Cleary, of Corbally, Co Limerick, are bringing an action against the Heath Service Executive over the death of their daughter, Eve Cleary, in 2019. Photograph: Collins Courts

Thu Jan 25 2024 - 20:10

A 21-year-old woman, who died hours after hospital discharge, wanted to go home after 13 hours on a trolley because she was “tormented and in agony” and nobody was telling her anything, her father has told the High Court.

Barry Cleary was giving evidence in the family’s action against the Health Service Executive over Eve Cleary’s death five years ago.

Ms Cleary, from Corbally, Co Limerick, died in the early hours of July 21st, 2019, some three hours after her discharge from University Hospital Limerick (UHL) and two days after she hurt her leg in a fall.

[ HSE did not follow up free counselling offer for Eve Cleary’s family, High Court told ]

Her father told the High Court of a phone call with his daughter at about 11am on July 20th, 2019, when she was waiting for a scan. She had been on a trolley in the hospital corridor since 10pm the night before, had been seen by a doctor at 5.30am on July 20th and had an orthopaedic review.

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He said she was very upset during the call.

“She said she was tormented and in agony and nobody was telling her anything. She said: ‘Mam I want to go home. Nobody is coming near me.’”

Mr Cleary said his wife told their daughter she was in the best place. By the time they returned to hospital she had had a scan.

He said he was shocked his daughter was in hospital for so long and he thought she would be coming home by the next morning. He said she was “not herself” and was “so upset and in so much pain”. Her leg looked swollen and was “like a Christmas ham”, he added.

Ms Cleary’s parents, Barry Cleary and Melanie Sheehan Cleary, and her siblings, Kate, Elizabeth, Sarah, Emma and Sean, all of Corbally, Co Limerick, have sued the HSE over her death and for mental distress.

[ Woman (21) who died hours after discharge wanted to leave hospital, HSE claims ]

It is claimed that Ms Cleary was allowed to develop a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and that an opportunity was missed at the hospital to put her on the anticoagulant Heparin on admission.

The HSE accepts a formal risk assessment regarding blood clots was not done but has denied all other claims and does not accept the failure to carry out the risk assessment was a breach of duty.

The case continues next week.

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