A hospital has apologised in the High Court for failings in the care provided to a Co Westmeath man who later had to have his right kidney removed because of cancer.
Liam Moran (45) sued the HSE claiming there was a failure to diagnose that he was suffering from, or likely to be suffering from, renal cancer in a proper and timely manner.
He alleged his cancer was allowed to develop and spread unidentified, unmonitored and untreated until he was diagnosed with renal cell carcinoma in December 2019.
Mr Moran on Tuesday settled his action with his senior counsel Jeremy Maher, instructed by Cian O’Carroll solicitors, saying the hospital’s general manager, Margaret Kelleher, had issued a letter of apology on behalf of Midland Regional Hospital, Mullingar.
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The letter expressed “sincere apologies for the failings in care provided to you and in particular the failure to arrange further review” after February 15th, 2011.
Mr Moran, a fire protection engineer with an address in Coole, Mullingar, sued the HSE over his care at the hospital upon referral for severe pain over his right kidney area.
He had tests at the hospital in 2009, including a CT scan of his kidneys, and it was reported that a lesion did not show features of a complex cyst and it was recommended he return for a repeat examination after several months.
In July 2010, a scan showed a lesion in the right kidney area but, on February 15th, 2011, Mr Moran had a further CT examination that reported that the previous abnormality detected in the right kidney was unchanged. It is claimed he was lost to follow-up after this.
In December 2019, Mr Moran attended at the hospital complaining of pain and a further CT examination showed a 6cm mass on the right kidney consistent with a primary renal malignancy. Mr Moran had his right kidney removed at another hospital in January 2020.
It was claimed there was a failure to care for Mr Moran in a proper, skillful, diligent or timely manner and a failure to treat him when the tumour in his right kidney was amenable to minimally invasive treatment.
It was claimed there was a failure to put in place any plan for operative intervention in relation to the tumour or abnormality identified in his right kidney.
It was also claimed there was a failure to have any or any adequate protocols or systems in place for the care and management of patients at risk of developing cancer and that he had been deprived of the opportunity of treatment when treatment would have assured a cure.
Mr Justice Paul Coffey noted the settlement.
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