‘Profound tragedy’ – Verdict returned in death of Niamh McNally, 16, as court hears of ‘missed opportunities’ at UHL

‘This is like a Shakespearean tragedy, and to quote Hamlet – ‘Something is rotten in the state of Denmark’ — Something is very wrong in UHL’
A CORONER has returned a verdict of “medical misadventure” in the death of a 16-year-old girl at University Hospital Limerick (UHL).

The inquest into the death of Niamh McNally, Ardykeohane, Bruff, Co Limerick, on January 29, 2024, heard there were “so many missed opportunities” in her care at UHL.

Niamh died of “asphyxiation”, after suffering cardiac arrest, having suffered a “pulmonary haemorrhage which most likely resulted from an erosion of a collateral artery into the respiratory tract”, a post mortem found.

Niamh attended UHL on January 9 gasping for breath and coughing up blood. The hospital was aware she had a history of congenital heart disease.

A battery of tests followed, but her family argued these were not focussed enough on her cardiac history, and, although her condition improved and she was discharged from UHL 14 days later on January 23, Niamh was still coughing up blood.

Six days later, on January 29, with with her symptoms persisting, Niamh was readmitted at UHL where she was pronounced dead later that day.

Damian Tansey, senior counsel for the McNally family, told the inquest Niamh had been continuously coughing up “a massive amount of blood, her bedsheets were soaked with blood”.

Despite UHL’s awareness that Niamh had been born with scoliosis and a congenital heart defect, for which she had undergone three surgeries in the years prior to attending UHL that January, her treatment at the Limerick hospital had not been focused enough on her heart, Mr Tansey said.

Mr Tansey told Limerick Coroner’s Court: “There were numerous missed opportunities, and had they not been missed, we wouldn’t be here — and a letter of apology (from the HSE) confirms that.”

Niamh’s mother, Carolyn O’Neill said prior to her daughter’s death, blood was spilling out of her mouth, but, she said her concerns for her daughter were not heeded: “Nobody listened to me in UHL, and that is heartbreaking.”

Breaking down while giving her evidence to the court, Ms O’Neill told how moments before Niamh went into cardiac arrest, her ailing daughter looked at her and said: “Mammy, I can’t breathe.”

A letter unreserved apology from the HSE was read out at the opening of the two-day inquest, which concluded Thursday.

‘DEVASTATING CONSEQUENCES’

The HSE letter, to Ms O’Neill, stated: “We acknowledge the devastating consequences that this has had on both you and your extended family.”

“We sincerely regret the opportunities that were missed to intervene.”

“We accept that these failings, which ultimately led to Niamh’s tragic death, should not have happened.”

“On behalf of the management and staff of the University Hospital Limerick, we wish to apologise unreservedly for these failings,” the letter added.

‘LIKE A SHAKESPEAREAN TRAGEDY’

The HSE letter commented that it was “committed to learning from this tragedy and to implementing any necessary changes to prevent similar incidents in the future”.

However, Mr Tansey, citing several inquests into patient deaths at UHL in recent times, for which he had acted for families, said it appeared lessons were not learned by the hospital.

Mr Tansey said: “This is like a Shakespearean tragedy, and to quote Hamlet – ‘Something is rotten in the state of Denmark’ — Something is very wrong in UHL.

“This is the third time in a little over a year that I have appeared before this court in relation to UHL, and, it seems that no lessons have been learned.”

‘FINDINGS WERE HORRENDOUS’

Speaking afterwards, Carolyn O’Neill said: “I wish no other family will have to go through what Niamh experienced inside in UHL. The inquest findings were horrendous.”

“There were missed opportunities, and if they actually acted upon and did a proper cardiology check up on Niamh, she would be alive today, that I am convinced of.”

Ms O’Neill, whose husband died prior to her daughter’s death, said she she hoped the HSE would take on board 15 recommendations arising out of an independent review of Niamh’s case, which coroner John McNamara attached as a rider to the verdict.

Paying a tearful tribute to her only daughter Niamh, she said: “Niamh was a lovely girl, she was just coming into her own, she was turning into a beautiful woman, and she was so stable until (in UHL).”

‘SHE WAS SUCH A FIGHTER’

“She loved everything, she was such a fighter, she was fantastic, she had such a beautiful group of friends, and while it was hard, she never let her disability get in the way,”

Mr Tansey told the inquest that when Niamh was first admitted to UHL on January 9 her admissions team recommended that she be referred would to the hospital’s cardiology department but, he said, “the first time there is any cardiology involved is on the 18th of January – a full nine days later”.

When cardiology checks were eventually conducted they were “so narrow” they were “utterly ineffective”.

An “echo” scan of Niamh’s heart took place on January 11; it did not include her medical history, but it also did not indicate a cause for her condition.

NO ANSWERS FROM TESTS

The patient’s medical history was included in a report of the scan.

A “BNP blood test”, used to diagnose heart failure, was conducted but it too did not indicate the cause of Niamh coughing blood.

A bronchoscopy and chest x-ray used to examine the airways and lungs also did not provide answers.

Mr Tansey added: “There was still no change in her treatment plan on discharge, there was no reassessment in respect of Niamh, none whatsoever.”

‘DIDN’T INTEND FOR NIAMH TO DIE’

Mr Tansey called on coroner John McNamara to return a verdict of medical misadventure.

He said it was “clear” that UHL “didn’t intend for Niamh to die, but she did die”.

Simon Mills, senior counsel for the HSE, told the coroner that in determining his verdict, he could not consider the outcomes of previous inquests he had adjudicated, in respect of other patient deaths at UHL: “They must be put far from your mind.”

Mr Mills suggested the threshold for ‘medical misadventure’ had not been reached, and that the correct verdict was a “narrative verdict”.

‘PROFOUND TRAGEDY’

Mr Mills argued that it was clear from the evidence that Niamh McNally had received a multidisciplinary care plan, including an echo, a BNP, and CT Thorax, which included a scan of her heart, and that her “underlying condition” went “undetected”.

He said Niamh’s symptoms and markers for infection had reduced when she was discharged from UHL on January 23, six days prior to her being readmitted and dying there.

Returning a verdict of medical misadventure, the coroner extended his “deepest condolences” to Ms McNally’s mother, grandfather, uncle, and friend, who were in attendance.

Mr McNamara said Niamh’s death was a “profound tragedy” and he paid tribute to her family’s “dignity” throughout the inquest.

He said the inquest did not assign blame nor did it apportion liability and that Niamh’s death was “clearly unintended”.

He concluded: “Losing a child is obviously the deepest of tragedies, I am sure Niamh’s memory will live on through her family.”