Hospital apologises for man’s ‘untimely death’

St Vincent's University Hospital has settled for €150,000 a High Court action over the "untimely death" of a patient and apologised to the man's family.

The court heard the life of William Clarke (63) was cut short and his family were very concerned about what the standard of care he received at the hospital before his death in November 2013.

Dr John O'Mahony SC, for the family, read an apology from the hospital to the family in the court, where Mr Justice Kevin Cross was presiding.

“St Vincent’s University Hospital, would like to offer its apologies to Mrs Breda Clarke and family, and the family of Mr William Clarke for any shortcomings in the care and treatment of the late Mr William Clarke whilst a patient of St Vincent’s Hospital that caused or contributed to his untimely death,” it said.

Dr O’Mahony told the court is was a very sad case in which liability was conceded. Mr Clarke had been unwell for a number of years and was admitted to St Vincent’s in September 2013 complaining of abdominal pain and gastrointestinal symptoms.

Treated with antibiotics

He had a CT scan which showed colitis and he was treated with antibiotics and steroids and discharged home on October 14th, 2013. He was readmitted to the hospital on October 29th, 2013 and the clinical picture was a new diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease.

Mr Clarke was treated with antibiotics and steroids but he clinically deteriorated on November 21st, 2013 and was brought to the operating theatre and a laparotomy was performed. He died the next day.

Mrs Clarke, of Mackintosh Park, Pottery Road, Dún Laoghaire, sued the Dublin hospital over the death of her husband. It was claimed there was a failure to clinically examine, assess, diagnose and treat him in any competent manner.

It was also claimed the standard of care provided to Mr Clarke was inadequate, unreasonable and below the standard he was entitled to expect. It was further claimed there was a failure to perform a laparotomy or surgical exploration in a timely manner and a failure to diagnose and treat bowel ischaemia in a timely manner or at all.

Approving the settlement, Mr Justice Cross offered sincere sympathy to the Clarke family on their loss and said he hoped the apology would provide some comfort to the family.