Health

Report into Aoife Johnston’s death at UHL to be published next week, says HSE

Clare teenager died of meningitis in December 2022 with suspected sepsis that went untreated for more than 12 hours

Aoife Johnston (16), who died at Univesrity Hospital Limerick on December 19th, 2022
Aoife Johnston (16), who died at Univesrity Hospital Limerick on December 19th, 2022
Vivienne Clarke
Tue Sept 17 2024 - 14:12

A report into the death of teenager Aoife Johnston at University Hospital Limerick (UHL) in December 2022 is expected to be published next week, the Health Service Executive’s Bernard Gloster has said.

Sixteen-year-old Aoife Johnston, from Shannon in Co Clare, died of meningitis on December 19th, 2022, after she was referred to the UHL’s overcrowded emergency department with suspected sepsis that went untreated for more than 12 hours.

An investigation into her death, conducted by former Chief Justice Frank Clarke, was completed two months ago.

Ms Johnston’s family have been demanding the report into her death be published immediately and without redactions.

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Speaking on RTÉ radio about the publication of the report, Mr Gloster said: “The best possible timeframe I can give you is that it is within the current two week period that we’re in. It is most likely early next week.”

[ Aoife Johnston inquest: ‘We watched our daughter die – I wouldn’t wish it on anyone’ ]

“In relation to the commentary about what the content will be or won’t be, it has been and always is and remains my intention to not in any way interfere with the substance of the report, to publish the full substance of the report. But people will be aware, people will understand I am duty bound by law to have regard to the rights also of other people in terms of their personal, detailed information.

“But I can assure you that in no way will that take from the integrity of the excellent report that Mr Justice Clarke has provided me with and which I will comment on in a lot of detail when I do publish it.”

Mr Gloster said that he was very conscious that every time the case was spoken of that there was a family involved who were coping with what had been “the worst possible outcome”.

Vivienne Clarke

Vivienne Clarke is a reporter