Couple reject HSE apology over their newborn’s death

A Limerick couple have rejected the HSE's apology over their newborn daughter's death in the local maternity hospital in 2009 as "six years too late".

HSE lawyers issued the dramatic apology at the end of the inquest in Limerick into the death of Caoimhe Mulcair, at which a verdict of medical misadventure was returned.

Caoimhe was born to Joan and John Mulcair, on February 11th, 2009, but died after less than an hour.

The couple claim staff failed to react to warning signs from monitoring equipment and should have interrupted labour to deliver her by Caesarean section.

Staff denied decelerations noted on the trace of the foetal heartbeat were abnormal but other evidence at the inquest indicated there was a lack of blood and oxygen supply to the child’s brain.

Speaking outside Limerick courthouse after the inquest, an emotional Mr Mulcair warned there would be more such cases if hospitals did not change their ways.

He described as “a total disgrace” what he and his wife had to do to obtain justice and said those involved “should be ashamed of themselves for putting an ordinary decent family through the pain and torment we had to endure for over six years”.

Admission of liability

The HSE denied any wrongdoing in the care of Caoimhe for more than five years before settling with an admission of liability last December.

It is the latest is a series of medical negligence cases in which the HSE has denied liability for years before settling.

It says it has no control over the handling of such cases, which are managed by the State Claims Agency.

The jury's verdict of medical misadventure in this case contrasts with the finding of a case notes review by Prof Peter Boylan, commissioned by the HSE, which found her death was unexpected and identified no deficiencies in her care.