HSE acknowledges 'catastrophic and irreparable harm' in death of Limerick teenager in UHL

THE HSE Mid-West have accepted full responsibility for a “series of significant and avoidable clinical errors” in the lead-up to the death of an 18-year-old. 

Jessica Sheedy from Caherguillamore, Bruff died on May 11, 2018, within days of an elective operation in University Hospital Limerick (UHL). 

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The young beauty therapist had a rare, but benign form of tumour in her abdomen and died three days after surgery from multiple organ failure. 

The surgeon involved in her care has appeared before a Medical Council inquiry to assess his fitness to practise medicine. 

The Irish Examiner reports that in the inquiry, the surgeon admitted to professional misconduct over delays in seeking help for the teenager who died after sustaining massive blood loss during an operation which “he performed without having adequate experience or surgical support.” 

Regional executive officer for HSE Mid-West, Sandra Broderick said: “There is no doubt that we failed Jessica and her family. The failure was one of significant proportions, with clear catastrophic consequences. It is with a profound sense of remorse and regret that Jessica lost her life owing to our failures.”

An investigation into the death of Ms Sheedy found that adequate safeguards were not in place for the high-risk operation and that the procedure should not have been performed in UHL at that time. 

The CEO of the HSE, Bernard Gloster, along with senior regional leaders of the HSE have met with the Sheedy family. 

“In failing Jessica in the way that we did, we failed her family,” Ms Broderick said. 

“On behalf of the HSE Mid-West senior leadership team, we offer our most sincere and unequivocal apology to Jessica’s parents, Ann and James, their family and friends for their unimaginable and devastating loss.  

“There are no words sufficient to express the sincerity of our apology, nor any that can take away the pain and suffering you have endured and continue to endure,” Ms Broderick said.

Ms Sheedy’s death prompted further reviews of the surgical safeguards and clinical protocols at UHL to “ensure that high-risk procedures are only conducted under the most stringent safety conditions.”

“Jessica’s case represents a specific and avoidable failure in care. We accept full institutional responsibility for the catastrophic and irreparable harm caused.

"We want to reassure our community that this is not a reflection of our wider surgical and medical departments, in their ongoing commitment to patient safety and excellence,” Ms Broderick added.