Family of Limerick teen who died after routine surgery 'feel utterly let down'

THERE has been a call for a former CEO of UL Hospitals Group to be investigated, following a medical council inquiry involving the death of a teenager.

Jessica Sheedy from Caherguillamore, Bruff died on May 11, 2018, within days of an elective operation in 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 appeared before a Medical Council of Ireland inquiry to assess his fitness to practise medicine.

The inquiry found that three allegations of professional misconduct and a further 10 allegations of poor professional performance, were all proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

Speaking in the Dáil during Leader questions, Independent Ireland TD Richard O’Donoghue called for a former CEO of UL Hospitals Group to come under scrutiny.

He said: “By covering it up for eight years, how many other people have been seriously injured or have died, under that same management.”

He told the Dáil: “There has to be accountability for the people that were overseeing the hospital at that time. We have to make sure justice prevails. There are no words.”

Taoiseach Mícheál Martin said that losing a young woman in such a way was “absolutely unacceptable.”

He said: “It seems to me that person should never have proceeded with the operation, should never have been doing the operation. I can't comprehend how that happened.”

The Taoiseach added that the loss of a young life from a straightforward operation “should never have happened.”

The Taoiseach acknowledged that under the leadership of Bernard Gloster, the HSE has changed its approach and made apologies in a more timely manner.

He said: “Eight years is far too long. Everybody knew what had happened here. It shouldn’t take eight years for a family to get a sense of accountability in terms of what happened here. The objective is to make sure this doesn’t happen again, to some other young person, to some other patient.”

Speaking to RTE news after the medical council inquiry, Jessica Sheedy’s mother Ann said that they are devastated by the loss of their daughter.

“We feel utterly let down, not only by the arrogance of an incompetent surgeon, but by the healthcare system that allowed this man to operate.

“As far as we're concerned, he experimented on our daughter,” Mrs Sheedy said.

Holding back tears, she said: “Jessica was the light of our lives - that light went out on the 11th of May, we will never be the same.”

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.”

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.