HSE CEO says number of steps should have taken place which could have avoided Aoife Johnston’s death [Video]

THE HSE CEO has said the report into Aoife Johnston’s death shows that a “number of steps could and should have taken place which might have led to a more benign result”.

Bernard Gloster added that “accountability will be pursued” and that this process has “commenced very significantly so in respect of several people”.

The HSE today published the report from the independent investigation by retired judge Frank Clarke into 16-year-old Aoife Johnston’s death at University Hospital Limerick on 19 December, 2022.

Speaking to reporters this afternoon, Gloster said there is “no report will undo the harm that was caused to Aoife’s family and the failure that led to the catastrophic consequences for Aoife and her family”.

“We failed her, and for that we are, and have to remain, truly sorry,” said Gloster.

‘Made a bad situation much worse’

The report states that a failure to implement a decongestion protocol in the Emergency Department at University Hospital Limerick made …