‘Her loss left a hole in our hearts that will never heal’

A Ballina mother-of-four died at a Dublin hospital after it was claimed that a critical blood count result, which would have alerted doctors to a significant bleeding having occurred, was not discovered for seven hours.

Ms Eilis Cronin-Walsh, aged 49, from Convent Hill Crescent, Ballina, died at St Vincent’s Hospital, Dublin on October 17, 2021. The hospital’s systems analysis review later concluded that had the abnormal blood test result been acted upon when processed, it is likely the cardiovascular collapse of Ms Cronin-Walsh, who was recovering from surgery at St Vincent’s, would have been avoided.

In the High Court on Wednesday last, Eilis’s husband James Walsh settled an action against the hospital over her death.

The family’s counsel Joe Brolly BL, instructed by solicitor David O’Malley, of Callan Tansey, told the court the family are deeply agonised by Eilis’s death. He said St Vincent’s Hospital had made a public apology over the Ballina woman’s death at an inquest last year.

In the High Court proceedings, it was claimed that there was an alleged failure to convey the results of haemoglobin tests on October 17 to the treating clinicians. By this stage, Ms Cronin-Walsh was in a state of low grade sepsis. Laboratory staff after midday rang the surgical ward to alert them to the fact that her haemoglobin had dropped to life threatening levels but the call was unanswered and it is claimed no further attempts were made to contact the ward or the relevant clinicians. It was not until 7pm that night that a nurse reviewing blood results alerted medical staff.

The family's legal representatives said that the "catastrophic failure" within the laboratory reporting system was "instrumental" in the rapid deterioration of the mother-of-four.

Noting the settlement and the division of the statutory €35,000 mental distress payment, Mr Justice Paul Coffey expressed his deepest sympathy to the Walsh family on their tragic loss.

Speaking outside the Four Courts, Eilis’s son, Kevin, flanked by his father, James and brother Kyle, said their family is no longer whole after her death.

“We speak today not just for our own grief, but so that no other family has to endure what we have. We honour her memory, and we demand accountability. Eilis’s life mattered. Her story must be heard. Her death must lead to change."

Kevin said his mother had died alone, over 200km from her family and home with strangers by her side.

“Her loss has left a hole in our hearts that will never heal. Every day since, we have felt the emptiness she left behind - the birthdays, the milestones, the ordinary moments we can never share. The heartbreak and trauma of losing her in this way have shaped every part of our lives.”

He added: “Eilis was a loving mother, a devoted wife to our father, and a person who always put others first. She had a heart full of love and a spirit that touched everyone around her, a truly wonderful human being.”

At the inquest last year, a verdict of medical misadventure was returned in the death of Ms Cronin-Walsh. The hearing heard she died from hypovolemic shock due to acute intra-abdominal bleeding.

Ms Cronin-Walsh had undergone surgery nine days earlier to remove a pancreatic tumour as well as her gallbladder and spleen.

In the proceedings, it was also claimed that after her surgery there was no bed available in the specialist ward so she was transferred to a non-specialist surgical ward. The system analysis review later concluded that given her complex needs, Ms Cronin-Walsh should have not been placed in a surgical ward.

It was claimed that from October 13, there was a trend in falling haemoglobin and it ought to have been obvious there was a significant possibility of slow, ongoing bleeding and haemoglobin levels should have been checked daily.