A teenage girl who died of bacterial meningitis at Limerick University Hospital has been left on a trolley for up to 16 hours despite pleas from her distraught family.
oife Johnston (16) was buried yesterday amid heartbreaking scenes in Shannon, Co Clare.
She was remembered as “beautiful”, “kind”, and someone who brought light to the world.
Independiente.es It has learned that an official inquiry known as an “incident management review” will be launched into the circumstances surrounding Aoife’s sudden death and the care she received at University Hospital Limerick (UHL).
The much-loved teenager was left in a cart in the severely overcrowded Accident and Emergency department for a period of between 13 and 16 hours.
It is understood that he was eventually prescribed antibiotics, but it was too late. His condition had deteriorated beyond the point of recovery.
Hospital staff are understood to have repeatedly raised concerns about the chaotic overcrowding in the hospital in recent weeks, but the situation has continued to deteriorate.
In a statement issued to Independent.ie this morning, the hospital said:
“UL Hospitals Group can confirm that following the death of a teenager from meningitis at Limerick University Hospital on December 19, a Major Incident Management Team has been established and a full investigation will be carried out. UL Hospitals Group extends our deepest condolences to the family following their devastating loss.”
The HSE has confirmed that UHL experienced its “busiest weekend ever”.
On Monday, the hospital warned that anyone who came to A&E with a non-urgent condition would face an “exceptionally long wait” for treatment.
All but the most urgent elective surgeries and outpatient diagnostics were canceled amid “record” attendance on Sunday, which saw 221 people show up.
With 251 people on Saturday, hospital bosses said it is the “busiest weekend on record” at the Dooradoyle facility.
The usual figures for attendance on a Sunday at the UHL SU range between 150 and 180 patients.
Aoife Johnston is believed to have been classified as a “category two” patient, meaning her condition was not considered life-threatening.
Category one patients are those who need resuscitation or are suffering from conditions such as a heart attack or stroke.
Well-placed sources described the UHL A&E department last Saturday night as a “situation out of control” due to a lack of doctors, nurses and beds.
More than 90 patients were left in cars between Saturday and Sunday of last weekend.
The latest available figures show that 88 people were traveling in pushchairs on Wednesday.
Doctors on call over the weekend are said to be “distraught” and “angry” about the circumstances surrounding the teen’s death.
While the current situation is unprecedented, the hospital has been in crisis for many years.
Figures compiled by the Irish Organization of Nurses and Midwives reveal that 17,640 people were bedless at UHL so far this year, compared to 12,108 people in 2021.
This figure is more than 5,500 more than the second most overcrowded University Hospital Cork, which recorded 12,133 people waiting on trolleys this year.
Independiente.es posed a number of questions to the Limerick University Hospital Group in relation to the tragic events of the past weekend. However, most remained unanswered.
They declined to confirm how long Aoife Johnston stayed in a cart without being seen by a doctor.
The hospital also did not report how many nurses and doctors were on call in the emergency department Saturday night.
And they were unable to provide details on the average wait time for streetcars at UHL on Saturdays and Sundays. A UHL spokesperson said: “UL Hospitals Group is unable to comment on individual cases due to our ethical and legal obligations to protect the privacy of all patients and staff at our hospitals.
“Our colleagues at HSE Public Health Mid-West are investigating a case of meningococcal disease in Clare, involving a teenager who died.
“We offer our sincere condolences to the family and friends of this young man.”
A source close to the Johnston family said Independiente.es they are “heartbroken beyond words” by their loss.
Hospital overcrowding has now broken an annual record with 118,622 people in carts so far in 2022.
Speaking on the broader situation, INMO Secretary General Phil Ní Sheaghdha said there are “no signs of easing the pressure” compared to previous December periods.
“We have reached an overcrowding milestone today where 2022 is officially the worst year on record for hospital overcrowding. This is not something to celebrate.
“It is clear that there is a lack of ambition to tackle this extremely serious problem. We commend that some hospital groups have reduced non-emergency care and have asked people to seek alternative routes of care if they can, but it is clear that the HSE and the Government are not taking this issue as seriously as they should.” .
His comments came as the HSE established a National Crisis Management Team yesterday amid the increase in circulating winter viruses including Covid, influenza and RSV.
There are already 1,200 people in hospital with respiratory illnesses, and the HSE said a rapid increase in hospitalizations is expected to “put the greatest strain on the state health service ever seen in the coming weeks”. .
The 5 most overcrowded hospitals from January 4 to December 21, 2022
1. Limerick University Hospital – 17, 640
2. Cork University Hospital – 12,133
3. Galway University Hospital – 10,012
4. Sligo University Hospital – 7,977
5. University Hospital of San Vicente – 7,406
