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Praveen Halappanavar Niall Carson/PA Archive/Press Association Images
savita
University Hospital Galway apologises to Praveen Halappanavar and family
The apology comes after the publication of a damning HIQA report into Savita’s treatment at University Hospital Galway.
Updated 11.20pm
AN APOLOGY HAS been made to Praveen Halappanavar and his family by University Hospital Galway over the care his wife Savita received in October 2012.
The apology was given by Bill Maher, Group Chief Executive at the West/North West Hospitals Group this afternoon in the wake of a damning report published by HIQA into Savita’s care in UHG leading up to her death.
Maher said:
On behalf of University Hospital Galway, I would like to apologise to Mr Halappanavar and family for the events related to his wife’s care that contributed to her tragic death and to offer our sincere sympathies to all concerned.
He said that the board and management of the West / North West Hospitals Group “are determined to ensure the safety and welfare of all patients attending UHG and the other six hospitals in our newly established Group”.
A special board meeting will take place next week to consider all of the findings and recommendations of today’s report and identify what further action needs to be taken, said Maher.
Progress
Maher said that UHG has already made “considerable progress” in implementing the recommendations from the HSE investigation and the coroner’s inquest, which took place earlier this year.
These include:
- The implementation of early warning scoring systems
- The education of all staff in the recognition, monitoring and management of sepsis and septic shock
- The introduction of a new multi-disciplinary team-based training programme in the management of obstetric emergencies, including sepsis;
- Improved communications procedures for doctors’ handovers.
Maher said that he is confident that the recommendations from the three investigations “will result in changes and improvements in the care of pregnant women”.
The HSE report in June had found that inadequate care and monitoring were factors in the death of Savita Halappanavar.
Read the main points of today’s HIQA report here.
Originally posted 4pm
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