BREAKING: Inquiry launched at University Hospital Limerick as young woman dies suddenly after losing her baby

A review has been launched at University Hospital Limerick following the death of a woman.

Hospital bosses are currently reviewing the circumstances surrounding the death of a 33-year-old woman at UHL last weekend.

The inquiry is the second to be launched at the hospital in a week following the inquiry into the death of a 16-year-old girl in January.

It is understood that the 33-year-old from County Clare was initially admitted to University Maternity Hospital Limerick on Friday, February 16 before being transferred to UHL the following day.

According to the Irish Independent, it is understood that she underwent an angiogram and several other tests, including blood tests, to check for infection or possible sepsis. It is understood the angiogram did not show anything of concern.

The woman and her husband were later informed that they had lost their baby. It is reported that the following day, the woman suffered a cardiac arrest. Her condition had deteriorated rapidly.

The death of the young woman has devastated her family and local community in County Clare.

Tributes poured in following her sudden death with friends and work colleagues describing her as "friendly, bubbly and kind" and "fantastic" at her job.

Another said they were "so heartbroken" to learn of the girl's passing. They described her as "such a positive and beautiful soul".

In a statement released to Limerick Live this morning (February 24), a spokesperson for UL Hospitals Group said: “We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of the patient concerned.”

“This is normal HSE practice where a sudden death occurs in our care. This review will inform any future actions.

“Our staff continue to be available to support the family through this difficult process,” they said.

According to the statement, the review is in line with the HSE Incident Management Framework.

It is understood the review will look at the circumstances of her treatment in both the maternity hospital and UHL.

All test results and vital sign monitoring scores will be reviewed again and a report, including her post-mortem examination result, will be completed.

In the case of the 16-year-old girl whose inquiry was launched earlier this week, hospital bosses initiated "a preliminary assessment" following the tragedy, in which she died hours after she was taken to the hospital.

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

According to the HSE CEO Bernard Gloster: “We have robust mechanisms for inquiring into unexpected deaths, unexplained poor outcomes and complaints, and we use them very regularly.

"In Limerick, as with all our hospitals and services, we have an Incident Framework. When examining a concerning outcome we do not start from a conclusion. We assess the evidence, and then draw conclusions. The primary aim is first to establish what happened and how, and then to take any appropriate actions.

"Most such reviews, no matter what the outcome, give us the opportunity to learn how to improve for other patients and service users. I have mandated a questioning environment in the interests of patient safety which I believe our staff accept as the norm,” Mr Gloster added.

Overcrowding at UHL has worsened in recent months as the hospital set the record for most patients waiting on a trolley on Wednesday, February 7. A total of 150 patients were waiting on a trolley at UHL on the day. It was the second record break that week.

On Friday, February 16, the day before the 33-year-old was admitted to UHL, the hospital was the busiest in the country. There were 108 patients waiting on a trolley according to the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO). The INMO do not release trolley figures on weekends.

In the case of Aoife Johnston, another 16-year-old girl who died from sepsis complications of bacterial meningitis following a 12-hour wait on a trolley in December 2022, a review into her death at UHL has led to an independent judge-led investigation.