Standard of care for girl (16) who died from meningitis in hospital being investigated

Health authorities are investigating the standard of care provided to a teenager who died from meningitis in University Hospital Limerick (UHL) on Monday.

Following the death of Aoife Johnston (16), from Cronan Lawn, Shannon, Co Clare, UL Hospitals Group extended its condolences to the family on “their devastating loss” and said “a serious incident management team has been established and a comprehensive investigation will take place”.

The Irish Independent reported on Friday that the teenager had been waiting in the hospital’s under-pressure emergency department for a significant period of time before her death. A spokesman for the hospital said it could not comment on how long the girl was waiting.

Meningitis is a serious illness involving inflammation of the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, that requires treatment with antibiotics.

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HSE chief operating officer Damien McCallion offered his sympathies to the Johnston family.

“It is a horrible thing to happen to any family, particularly at this time of the year,” he told RTÉ's Morning Ireland. “An investigation has been set up immediately to investigate into the care, and we will work closely with the family in that case. I wouldn’t think it is appropriate to comment any further.”

The teenager’s funeral took place in St John and Paul’s Church in Shannon on Thursday with the congregation told Aoife had brought “light and colour” to many people’s lives. Aoife was described as a “beautiful young woman”, a “wonderful” daughter and a great classmate to her fellow pupils in St Caimin’s Community School, where she was in 6th year.

Mourners heard how her parents, James and Carol, are going through “every parent’s worst nightmare”.

Asked about the circumstances surrounding Aoife’s apparent long wait in hospital before her death, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said a review would be carried out into the case. He said it could not be assumed there was a failure of some sort and that it was “important not to jump to conclusions at this stage”.

“I’m very sorry to hear about it. It’s just devastating for the family, particularly at this time of year and I want to express my condolences to her family and friends, and of course, to anyone who knew her,” he told reporters during a pre-Christmas interview.

He said he would seek an assurance from the HSE that the investigation “will be done as thoroughly and as quickly as possible, because I know that’s what the family expects, and that’s what they have a right to expect”.

Mr Varadkar said “it is really important that an investigation is carried out and that the case is fully reviewed so that we can understand whether what happened was preventable or not, and what can be done in the future to improve the situation”.

On the day the teenager died, UHL said it was dealing with “unprecedented” demand on its emergency department, which had led the hospital to cancel “all but the most urgent elective surgeries”.

In a statement at the time, the hospital warned anyone with a “less urgent condition” attending the emergency department that they would likely face “an exceptionally long wait for care”.

Doctors and staff have repeatedly raised concerns about overcrowding in the hospital’s emergency department. More than 70 doctors signed a letter earlier this year, warning that persistent overcrowding and unsafe working conditions at the hospital were putting patients at risk. The letter was sent to hospital management and Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly.