Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Thursday, 16 Oct 1997

Vol. 481 No. 6

Adjournment Debate. - Inquiry into Death of Mr. Gordon Hearty.

Mr. Shatter

In this morning's newspapers there were widespread reports of an inquest held yesterday into the circumstances of the death of Mr. Gordon Hearty. Before referring to that inquest I should like to convey my condolences to his family on the very sad loss they suffered.

Mr. Hearty was a young man of 24, riding a motorcycle, who was seriously injured in a road traffic accident and was brought by ambulance to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda.

The newspapers have reported that he suffered from haemophilia and from hepatitis A and hepatitis C. Statements were made by a doctor attached to Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital at the inquest indicating that plasma required to treat Mr. Hearty as a haemophiliac was not available in the hospital. It was reported that frozen plasma was subsequently obtained from the Blood Transfusion Board which could not be used.

Mr. Owen Hearty, Gordon's father, is reported in today's papers — and I heard him speak on "Morning Ireland"— as saying that if plasma in powder form had been available he believed his son's life could have been saved.

I want the Minister to address the issues reported in this morning's papers and to inform the House, on the basis of the inquiries he has had an opportunity of making, whether those reports are accurate.

It is very important that people who suffer from haemophilia feel confident that, if and when involved in an accident, blood products are available in our hospitals to provide the treatment they require on admission. I have had a great deal of feed-back today from members of the general public who expressed concern to me, as my party spokesman on health, about these reports.

I ask the Minister to examine these and, if necessary, to hold an inquiry into the circumstances of the death of Gordon Hearty in addition to the role of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda and of the Blood Transfusion Service Board.

If reports in today's newspapers are inaccurate, if the inquest was given wrong information by a doctor who treated Mr. Hearty on admission to the hospital, that is something the Minister should also inquire into. It was quite clear having listened to the radio this morning that Mr. Hearty's father is a very sincere, distressed man who expressed his concern with great dignity in the very difficult, trying and distressing circumstances in which he found himself. He did not go overboard in making accusations but, in a very simple way, expressed the view that, arising out of the inquest, it appeared his son's life could have been saved if plasma had been available.

If today's newspaper reports are not accurate, the Minister must inquire why the hospital did not make comprehensive, accurate information available to the inquest.

I hope the Minister will examine this matter in detail for the sake of the family of the late Mr. Gordon Hearty and in the interests of the wider community to assure them that our hospitals have available — in their Accident and Emergency Departments and for the purposes of emergency surgery — any blood product that may be required to save the lives of those who suffer injury.

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen)

I thank Deputy Shatter for raising this matter. I too would like to convey my sincere condolences to the family of the late Mr. Gordon Hearty who suffered a deeply sad loss and to say my thoughts are with them at this time.

It is important to clarify the questions raised resulting from this morning's reports of the case in the media. My Department has made inquiries about the matter and, contrary to certain reports, I understand the hospital in question — Our Lady of Lourdes in Drogheda — had a supply of plasma available on the day in question and used it in the treatment of the late Mr. Hearty. I also understand that the principal blood product required for Mr. Hearty's treatment was the clotting agent known as "Factor 8", supplies of which the hospital also had available.

I am informed that Mr. Hearty was treated with Factor 8 from the hospital's existing stocks and that the hospital ordered a further 60 vials from the Blood Transfusion Service Board at 4.30 p.m. on the day in question which were dispatched by taxi at 4.35 p.m. No request for frozen plasma was received by the Blood Transfusion Service Board from Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, on the day in question.

The point that must be emphasised is that Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, had supplies of both Factor 8 and plasma available to it on the day of Mr. Hearty's accident and that both products were used in his treatment.

The North Eastern Health Board assumed responsibility for the hospital at the end of May l997 and was not responsible for the operation of the hospital at the time of the late Mr. Hearty's accident on 24 March 1997. The board has now begun a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death, on completion of which, a detailed clinical report will be forwarded to the chief medical officer of my Department.

I must emphasise that it is already standard practice for acute hospitals to stock Factor 8 and other blood products for use in emergencies. The medical director of Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, Drogheda, would be happy to meet Mr. Hearty's family to further discuss the facts of the case with them personally.

Once again, I offer my sincere condolences to his family.