National Maternity Hospital apologises over baby’s death

The National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street has apologised in the High Court over "shortcomings in care" which resulted in the death of a baby girl.

The apology came on Wednesday as the parents of baby Aisling Furey, who was delivered stillborn at 29 weeks, settled their High Court action over her death five years ago.

In a letter from the Master of the hospital, Dr Rhona Mahony, which was read in court, the hospital offered "our sincere apology to you and your family in relation to the death of your baby daughter Aisling in the hospital on June 27th, 2013.

“The hospital extends its sincere apology for the shortcomings in care provided to you which resulted in the death of Aisling and for the distress and suffering this has caused you and your family.”

In a statement afterwards, Aisling’s parents Tracey Jones Furey and Eamonn Furey said they were ushered through the service entrance as they left the hospital grieving five years ago with their daughter in a cradle.

The hospoital had assured them that was a practice which would not be allowed to continue, they said.

“The practice of taking grieving families and their babies out the side door seemed in an instant to assign Aisling’s life to that of a secret,” Ms Jones Furey said. “It demonstrated to us that Aisling was no longer worthy of the dignity and respect that other babies who hadn’t died were given by the hospital. It had a lasting impact on our memory of leaving the hospital.”

She said the circumstances surrounding Aisling’s death caused their family significant distress and devastation. “Aisling’s life mattered and as parents the only gift we could give her was that of her legacy. Thankfully we both possess the tenacity, strength and family support that allowed us to fight on behalf of our daughter.

“We are very sad that our darling Aisling, who would now be five, is not with our family today. However we continue to celebrate how much we loved her and she is continually remembered and included in our family celebrations,” she said.

Tracey Jones Furey, Ayrfield Road, Dublin 13, had sued the hospital over the circumstances of her daughter’s birth and death.

Ms Jones Furey was admitted to the hospital on June 19th, 2013 at 28 weeks gestation and was kept in for observation.

On June 27th, she experienced pressure and abdominal pain and two hours later, was physically examined and found to be in premature labour.

Her baby was later delivered stillborn. It was claimed there was failure to maintain any or any addequate maternal and foetal monitoring or supervision and a failure to intervene to deliver the baby by Caesarean section with sufficient speed. It was further claimed there was failure to investigate adequately or at all the death of the baby.

Liability was admitted in the case.