UL Hospitals Group (ULHG) is carrying out a review into the circumstances around the sudden death of another young woman at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) last weekend.
Concerns about patient safety at the hospital have heightened following the death of the patient last Sunday after she was reported to have lost her baby the previous day.
The review will investigate the death of a 33-year-old woman who was pregnant with her first child. Her death has left her husband, family, and friends devastated, the Irish Independent reported.
It has been reported that the woman was first admitted to University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL) on Thursday February 15, and was transferred to University Hospital Limerick (UHL) last Saturday.
The woman is believed to have undergone an angiogram and several other tests, including blood tests, to check for infection or possible sepsis, and it is understood the angiogram did not show anything of concern, the Irish Independent reported.
Later on Saturday, the woman and her husband were informed they had lost their baby. The following Sunday, the woman’s condition deteriorated rapidly and she reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest.
A statement to the Limerick Post from UL Hospitals Group, the body responsible for both UHL and UMHL, read: “We would like to extend our deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of the patient concerned.”
“We are currently reviewing the circumstances surrounding the death of the patient in line with the HSE Incident Management Framework.”
The ULHG statement said that the review is “normal HSE practice where a sudden death occurs in our care” and that it will “inform any future actions.”
“Our staff continue to be available to support the family through this difficult process.”
The review into the woman’s death will reportedly look into all circumstances of her care at UMHL as well as UHL. The findings are expected to be shared with the family at some stage after the results of a post mortem are confirmed.
The latest death follows another preliminary assessment carried out regarding the care given to a 16-year old girl who died at UHL on January 29 last.
The hospital followed the same process after the death at UHL in December 2022 of 16-year-old Aoife Johnston, from Shannon in County Clare, which has led to former Chief Justice Frank Clarke conducting an ongoing investigation.
Ms Johnston died from sepsis complications following bacterial meningitis after waiting 12 hours in a severely overcrowded emergency department on December 19, 2022.
