Advertisement

We need your help now

Support from readers like you keeps The Journal open.

You are visiting us because we have something you value. Independent, unbiased news that tells the truth. Advertising revenue goes some way to support our mission, but this year it has not been enough.

If you've seen value in our reporting, please contribute what you can, so we can continue to produce accurate and meaningful journalism. For everyone who needs it.

Crumlin Children's Hospital Albert Gonzalez/Photocall Ireland
Transplant

Meadhbh McGivern's family tell of 'shock' at HIQA report findings

Joe McGivern said a “complete and utter failure” led to his 14-year-old daughter missing out on a liver transplant.

THE FATHER OF liver failure sufferer Meadhbh McGivern has said the family were in “shock” after a report found a series of failures led to her missing out on a transplant.

Earlier today, the HIQA document found no one agency was responsible for delays that meant a donor organ at Kings Hospital in London had to be turned down when Meadhbh, 14, could not get there in time.

Speaking on RTÉ’s News at One, Joe McGivern said the family were shocked at the “complete and utter failure” of the system to arrange transport. However, he said there was no “malice” in the “bad decisions” that were taken by Crumlin children’s hospital, the HSE ambulance service and the Coast Guard. Mr McGivern said:

This is the stuff of horror shows. Nobody was accountable for the overall logistical decisions that were made and there was a lot of bad decisions made on the night [...] Nobody intentionally blocked us from getting to England. It was just a complete and utter failure of the service to provide a system to safely transport patients.

He added that Meadhbh’s condition is unchanged since the events on the night of July 2, and said the family now have a private air ambulance company on standby should another donor become available in London.

Read more: ‘Four critical decisions’ led to 14-year-old girl’s cancelled transplant >

Your Voice
Readers Comments
2
    Submit a report
    Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines.
    Thank you for the feedback
    Your feedback has been sent to our team for review.