Latest news with #UniversityMaternityHospitalLimerick
Irish Examiner
6 days ago
- Health
- Irish Examiner
Limerick hospital offers 'sincere and heartfelt apologies' to mother of baby who died due to 'failure' in care
University Maternity Hospital Limerick has apologised to the mother of a little boy who died and acknowledged a breach in the hospital's duty of care to the baby, which resulted in a delayed diagnosis 'with devastating consequences'. 'We are deeply sorry for your loss and for the profound sorrow of being denied the opportunity to watch your beloved son grow and thrive,' the hospital said in a letter read out in the High Court. The mother of the baby, who was 16 weeks old when he died, has settled a High Court action against the HSE over his death. The mother or child cannot be identified by order of the court. The family's counsel, Dr John O'Mahony SC with Doireann O Mahony BL, instructed by solicitor Brigid O'Donnell, told the High Court it was a sad and tragic case. Counsel said when the little boy was born at the Limerick hospital in January 2021, he was doing well until two weeks later his condition deteriorated and tests including lumbar punctures showed he had an E coli meningitis infection and he was started on antibiotics. Counsel said the baby's condition later suddenly deteriorated and he had a fever. He deteriorated further and needed to be intubated and ventilated. An MRI scan showed global ischaemia, which is when blood flow to the brain is reduced. The baby later received palliative care and he died when he was 16 weeks old. In the letter from the chief executive of HSE Midwest Acute Services Ian Carter, University Maternity Hospital, Limerick offered 'sincere and heartfelt apologies" to the mother and wider family 'for this failure'. It said: 'On behalf of the management and staff at University Maternity Hospital, Limerick, I wish to acknowledge the breach in our duty of care to your baby, which resulted in a delayed diagnosis with devastating consequences for you and your extended family.' It added: 'Please know that our thoughts are with you, and we extend our deepest sympathy to you and your family at this incredibly difficult time.' In the proceedings, it was claimed there was an alleged failure to take any or any proper action which such was warranted by the baby's condition and an alleged delay had been caused in enabling the baby to receive proper urgent care and treatment for his condition. It was further claimed there was an alleged failure to recognise the baby's obvious signs of sepsis when he was moved into intensive care on February 19, 2021, and to ensure the administration of the appropriate antibiotics urgently or in a timely fashion. There was, it was claimed, an alleged delay in the administration of broad spectrum antibiotics when it ought to have bene known such a delay would expose the baby to a serious risk of injury or death. The claims had been denied. Noting the settlement and the division of the statutory mental distress solatium payment, Mr Justice Paul Coffey extended his deepest sympathy to the baby's mother and extended family.
Irish Examiner
24-04-2025
- Health
- Irish Examiner
HSE allocates funds to begin move of maternity hospital to UHL seven years after announcement
Funding for the early stages of moving University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL) to University Hospital Limerick (UHL) has been allocated, seven years after the move was announced. The plan is part of the Project Ireland 2040 policy, announced in February 2018. The policy indicated the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin and other standalone maternity hospitals including Limerick will move to share a campus with acute hospitals. UMHL was built in 1960 and designed for about 3,000 births every year. Now over 65 years later, it sees about 4,500 births annually. In addition to this 'significant capacity challenge', a hospital spokesman said it is also seeing 'the increasing complexity of pregnancy and childbirth' among its patients. He said the move remains 'a priority' as set out in 2040 plan, but also said there is no set commencement date. Funding of €200,000 was allocated in the recently published HSE Capital Plan under the title of maternity relocation to UHL. 'The relocation is a major capital project which is currently at appraisal stage,' the spokesman said. 'Indicative funding of €200,000 allocated in the 2025 capital plan is to cover professional fees including business case documentation and any other feasibility studies required.' Timing will be affected by factors including 'progression through the various approval stages and availability of capital funding", he added. Health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said in the Dáil that this move is 'considered to be the next maternity co-location project' after the Dublin hospital moves. The Dublin plan 'is currently subject to a tender process to select the contractor to build that new facility,' she told Labour TD Conor Sheehan last month. Co-location can help avoid situations where a mother in crisis is transferred by ambulance to hospital while her baby remains at a maternity hospital. It will give mothers with complex needs direct access to specialist teams and emergency care. In the meantime, as pressures continue on UMHL it is also expanding some services. The HSE capital plan includes further funding for the neo-natal service in UMHL. The first phase is now complete, the hospital said. It includes a new parents' room, breastfeeding centre and clinical support areas. 'Phase two, to upgrade the neonatal intensive care, high dependency, and isolation facilities, is expected to be completed in early May 2025,' the spokesman said. It is expected this will improve care for the infant patients. He said it will offer 'a more family-centred environment with enhanced space and modern equipment". Other smaller projects also continue at the hospital on Ennis Road. Read More Two maternity hospitals to move to electronic health records
