Martin announces inquiry into Ruddle baby death

The Minister for Health, Mr Martin, has this evening announced a full independent inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of a two-year-old Limerick girl shortly after she was sent home from a Dublin hospital earlier this month.

Róisín Ruddle died at her home in Kilmacow, near Adare, on July 1st within hours of being sent home by Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin after scheduled heart surgery was postponed

In a short statement released this evening, the Department of Health said Mr Martin, following discussions with the child's parents, has decided "to convene a review panel to conduct an independent review of the events surrounding her death".

Health minister Mr Micheal Martin

The terms of reference of the inquiry will be to consider the Eastern Regional Health Authority (ERHA) report into the incident and to make further inquiries.

It will also address the questions raised by the family and "examine protocols and procedures relevant to this incident".

The inquiry will report to the Minister and make recommendations.

The review panel will be chaired by management consultant Mr David Hanly, director of nursing at Cork University Hospital, Ms Kay O'Sullivan, and paediatric cardiologist at Guys & Thomas's Hospital, London, Dr Shakeel A Qureshi.

A report on the incident had been compiled by the ERHA, but the child's parents, Mr Gerard Ruddle and Ms Helen Quain-Ruddle, said it left many questions unanswered.

It did not address the issue of whether or not the child should have been sent home, but simply set out the reason for her surgery being cancelled.

The reason given was a shortage of intensive care nurses to care for her after an operation to correct a congenital heart defect.