An inquest into the death of a man of MRSA has been adjourned after the hospital where he died failed to provide an explanation why blood samples had not reached a laboratory for examination.
Dublin City Coroner’s Court has heard Thomas Barrett (56), Woodhazel Terrace, Ballymun, Dublin died of MRSA septicaemia with multiple abscesses in the wall of his heart and infection of the pericardial sac.
Mr Barrett was admitted to the Mater hospital on November 30th, 2007, for emergency surgery on a twisted bowel. He was recovering well after surgery, but a routine screen taken on January 7th revealed he had MRSA septicaemia.
He began antibiotic treatment on January 8th but suffered a heart attack that day. He died on January 14th following a second heart attack.
Coroner Dr Brian Farrell said it was clear Mr Barrett acquired the infection in hospital.
A previous sitting of the inquest heard was adjourned following an application from John Nolan, counsel for the Barrett family, who said he wanted further information as to why there was a record in the medical notes of a screening being taken on January 5th but no results recorded.
The court heard today a letter from the hospital to the court noted the sample was taken on January 5th but it failed to reach the laboratory. The hospital could give no explanation for this, the court heard.
Mr Nolan said this was “unsatisfactory” and argued the family was entitled to clarification.
He said the results of the January 7th test were available the following day. Had this been the case with the January 5th results, Mr Barrett could have begun receiving antibiotic treatment on January 6th. He said timing in this case was “crucial” and if it was found there was “wanton neglect” on the part of the hospital, it could affect the coroner’s verdict.
Mr Nolan also sought an adjournment to allow for time to study the hospital’s infection control policy, a 420-page document that was only submitted to the court on Monday. He said Mr Barrett’s family was “anxious to ascertain if the hospital did all it could to minimise the risk,” he said.
Asim Sheikh, counsel for the hospital, argued that a review of the infection policy was beyond the remit of the Coroner’s Court.
Dr Farrell said while he was “concerned about the jurisdictional issue”, he would agree to the adjournment. He also said it would be helpful to be allowed an opportunity to speak to the hospital’s risk manager for clarification on the test results.
Dr Farrell apologised to Mr Barrett’s family for the delay and adjourned the inquest until April 8th.