Protesters at UHL call for faster reform following deaths
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A three-hour protest took place on Saturday afternoon at University Hospital Limerick by people calling for faster reforms and changes in the wake of tragedies at the hospital.
Among reviews underway at the hospital is an external review into the maternal death of Laura Liston in June 2022 at the hospital following a homebirth. This week a hospital spokesman confirmed this is continuing and recommendations have not yet been made by the team.
Access to homebirths under the National Homebirth Services remain suspended across the region, he also said.
A report from former Justice Frank Clarke into the death of 16-year-old Aoife Johnston in December 2022 is also expected, with the HSE CEO Bernard Gloster saying last month this was imminent.
Separately a three-person group, led by Grace Rothwell, a HSE national director and former manager of University Hospital Waterford, has submitted recommendations for change which are being assessed by senior HSE management.
A broad review by health watchdog Hiqa was announced in early May to look into whether a second emergency department is needed for the mid-west region of Limerick, Clare and north Tipperary.
However, this will not commence until after Justice Clarke’s findings are announced and can feed into its terms of reference.
On Saturday, Mike Daly organised a flash protest in the hospital to raise questions over whether sepsis alerts or concerns are being acted on quickly enough.
He previously co-organised a protest of an estimated 11,000 people through the city to highlight people’s fears in 2023, driven by frustrations over the death of his father at the hospital — a death that was the subject of two inquests.
He remains in close contact with people whose relatives are treated in the hospital. He said on Saturday people continue to approach him with stories of long delays in being seen due to how overcrowded the hospital can be.
This includes, he said, at least one patient later diagnosed with sepsis having spent hours waiting for antibiotics.
He called on hospital chief Professor Colette Cowan to clarify particularly what action has been taken on sepsis care since Ms Johnston’s inquest.
“Colette Cowan, what are you doing?” he said.