New inquiry at University Hospital Limerick after second girl suddenly dies aged 16

AN INQUIRY has begun after a second teenage girl died in the emergency department at University Hospital Limerick (UHL).

Hospital bosses initiated "a preliminary assessment" following the tragedy, in which the 16-year-old died hours after she was taken to the hospital.

It's understood she was suffering from breathing difficulties on Monday, January 29 last. She had been admitted with a severe chest infection earlier in the same month, and had spent two weeks in UHL.

The death comes following the passing of another local 16-year-old Aoife Johnston from Shannon, in December 2022.

She passed away after waiting for 12 hours on a trolley in the emergency department.

In this latest case, the Irish Independent reports this Tuesday morning, that the teenager, from County Limerick, had been put in the resuscitation area but was deemed well enough to be transferred to a trolley in a corridor.

But her condition deteriorated and it's understood she was moved back to the resuscitation area.  

Tributes poured in from across Limerick and further afield following her "sudden passing". Teachers and school pupils spoke of how she would "light up any room".

"The world won't be as bright a place without her," said one local.

The girl has been described as a “beautiful, kind and loving child” who brought “joy, love and laughter” to the lives of her family and friends.

“Her mother was totally devoted to her. They adored one another and her mother’s loss is unimaginable,” a family friend said.

In a statement released this Tuesday, UHL Hospital Group offered its “sincere condolences” to the family on “their devastating loss”.

“We can confirm that a preliminary assessment has been carried out in line with the HSE Incident Management Framework and the findings from this assessment will be shared with the family pending the results of a post-mortem examination,” the statement read.

It is understood that the results of the preliminary assessment will determine whether or not a full investigation takes place.

On the day of her death, January 29, UHL was the busiest in the country.

Some 113 patients were waiting for beds that day, according to data released by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Association (INMO).

Of these, almost half of those waiting for beds - 54 - were in the emergency department.

In the case of Aoife Johnston, a review into her death at UHL has led to an independent judge-led investigation.

She died from sepsis complications of bacterial meningitis after waiting 12 hours in a severely overcrowded emergency department.

UHL experienced the worst overcrowding in its history in early January 2023 - a move which saw up to 11,000 people march in protest through Limerick. 

Two weeks ago, on February 7, the hospital broke a new record for overcrowding with 150 patients without a bed in the Dooradoyle-based facility, making it the worst day for hospital overcrowding in any Irish hospital since the union began counting trolleys in 2006. 

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation assistant director of industrial relations for the Midwest and Western regions, Mary Fogarty, called the situation "unacceptable and dangerous". 

Charlotte Keane of the Mid-West Hospital Campaign, which has pushed for the re-opening of EDs at Ennis, St John's and Nenagh said the group is "deeply saddened" by the loss of the teenager.

"We are appealing to Minister Stephen Donnelly to intervene and reopen the emergency departments in the Mid-West region to try and prevent this from happening again," Ms Keane added.