HSE to hold review into man's death

THE HEALTH Service Executive (HSE) confirmed last night it is to hold a clinical review into the death of west Clare man Danny McDonnell (59).

The father of three suffered a cardiac arrest en route to Limerick’s Regional Hospital early Sunday morning after the ambulance which was carrying him was forced to bypass the closed accident and emergency unit at Ennis General Hospital.

His wife Marie said on Sunday that Danny’s life “might have been saved if the AE unit at Ennis was open at the time”.

In a statement last night, the HSE said: “The HSE is conducting a clinical review of circumstances surrounding this case as we would in cases of a similar nature. A formal investigation, if any, in the first instance would be conducted by the coroner.”

The west Clare community of Kilkee turned out last night to support Ms McDonnell and their children for the removal of Mr McDonnell’s body from Lillis’s funeral home to Kilkee Church for his funeral Mass today.

Clare Fine Gael TD Joe Carey yesterday warned that more deaths would occur in Co Clare unless Minister for Health Mary Harney and the HSE reversed the decision to close AE services at Ennis General.

A spokeswoman for the HSE said yesterday that it was satisfied that “all appropriate care was provided to Mr McDonnell by the advanced paramedic team and the ambulance personnel on duty”.

On Sunday morning, the advanced paramedics had to travel from Ennis to meet the Kilrush ambulance at Knockalough five miles from the village of Lissycasey.

Asked if there were any plans to locate advanced paramedics in Kilrush or any part of west Clare, the HSE spokeswoman said: “There are no plans at present to locate advanced paramedics in Kilrush ambulance station.

“Kilrush ambulance station is serviced by two ambulances along with two nurses based in Ennistymon and Kilrush.”