Mother whose daughter (12) died in Cork hospital says health system 'seriously failed'

High Court reporters

A mother whose 12-year-old daughter died at Cork University Hospital has said the health system “seriously failed” her daughter.

“This is no way to run a health system,” she said as she called outside the Four Courts for the Minister for Health to ensure hospital patient safety managers investigate adverse outcomes in their hospitals “in a proper, fair, timely and impartial way without forcing people like me to go down the legal route to get the truth.”

And Leslieann McGeough, of Ballyvolane, Cork, asked have any lessons been learnt by her daughter, Abigail’s case.

“My view is lessons will never be learnt if this system continues the way it is currently set up,” she added.

Earlier she told a judge in the High Court that her daughter Abigail was taken from her “for the simple reason that the doctors of both Cork University Hospital (CUH) and Beaumont Hospital, Dublin would not listen to me.”

Abigail McGeough from Cork city, who had cerebral palsy and spina bifida, had a brain shunt inserted when she was three months old.

Her mother broke down in tears told as she told the court she had been warned to look out for shunt blockage or malfunction symptoms and any delay in shunt blockage treatment could be fatal.

“However on December 22nd, 2019, I knew that there was something wrong with the shunt and I brought Abi to CUH and asked them to check for shunt malfunction. They dismissed me,” she said.

She added: “I asked for a second opinion and I was referred to Beaumont Hospital and attended there on December 27th, 2019. Beaumont dismissed me as they seem to rely on what CUH had said.”

In tears she told Mr Justice Paul Coffey: “Unfortunately my fears of shunt blockage turned out to be true because my darling Abi died of a shunt blockage on May 9th, 2020.”

The family’s counsel, Mirian Reilly SC instructed by Cantillons Solicitors, told the court that liability was admitted in the case, which related to the misdiagnosis of symptoms relating to a brain shunt blockage despite the fact that the little girl presented to hospitals on five occasions between November 2019 and April 2020.

Ms Reilly said Abigail’s mother felt the hospitals did not listen to her and she lives with the torment that she should have advocated more for her daughter.

Surrounded by her extended family outside the Four Courts, Ms McGeough spoke out after she settled an action and both Cork University Hospital and Beaumont Hospital in a letter read to the court expressed deepest condolences on the death of Abi.

Ms McGeough said liability had not been admitted in the case until August last year, over four years after Abi’s death, and it was only through taking the legal proceedings and getting independent expert reports that she was able to find out the truth about what caused Abi’s death.

She added: “This is no way to run a health system. The truth should always come out when adverse events occur, not for the purposes of punishing but rather to prevent such a further tragedy occurring again.”

She said “the health system seriously failed Abi causing her death” and she was concerned that lessons have not been learnt in her case.

She added: “I think it would also be useful for the Minister for Health to look back at cases of the last three years that have been settled in the courts and see how many of those were investigated by the hospitals in question and what was the outcome of those investigations and what lessons were learnt by the hospitals.”

Ms McGeough concluded: “Our family tree has been broken never to be repaired. Abi has missed out on so much in life including her much longed for cousins and her many hopes and plans for her future. Every day we grieve for Abi; we feel her loss every minute of every day and we will now always have a piece of us missing.”

In a letter read to the court by Rory White BL, the chief executives of University Hospital Cork and Beaumont Hospital expressed deepest condolences on the tragic death of Abigail.

The letter said: “We are deeply sorry for the distress suffering and loss you have endured and continue to endure since Abigail’s death.”

It thanked Leslie Ann for participating in the mediation process towards a settlement of the case.

“While the legal aspect is concluded we will reflect on the events of each of Abigail’s final attendances in our hospitals and work with the risk management teams to learn and improve our practise in every aspect warranted.

As part of our commitment to honouring your daughter's memory we've contributed to the memorial which we understand grows in her name. We hope that this gesture provides the necessary resources to ensure the enduring presence of the memorial which we understand services a lasting tribute to Abigail’s life.”

The letter concluded: “We hope that this letter acknowledges the upset and distress you have experienced and does not cause any further for you.”

Approving the settlement including the division of the statutory mental distress payment of €35,000, Mr Justice Coffey extended his deepest sympathy to Abigail’s mother and the extended family.