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BreakingNews.ie
a day ago
- Health
- BreakingNews.ie
Coroner warns people may not realise severity of burn injuries after death of Cavan farmer (79)
A coroner has warned that people may not realise the severity of burn injuries in some cases, after hearing about the death of an elderly Cavan man after a stick fell out of a wood-burning stove in his home. Patrick Lynch (79), a retired farmer of Cormore, Arva, Co Cavan, died as a result of complications of burn injuries at St James's Hospital in Dublin on August 29th, 2023. Advertisement A sitting of Dublin District Coroner's Court heard a neighbour of Mr Lynch had discovered a smouldering stick in a smoke-filled room when he called to see the deceased around 1:15pm on August 26th, 2023. Ciaran Ellis told an inquest into Mr Lynch's death that he rang an ambulance after discovering his neighbour lying crossways on a bed with his feet 'red with burns.' Mr Ellis said a stick that seemed to have fallen out of a door at the front of the stove was still smouldering on the floor. He recalled that the deceased's pyjamas and part of a chair were also burnt, although there was no evidence of a large fire of any type. Advertisement When asked how he felt, Mr Ellis said Mr Lynch had replied that he was not in any pain. 'He did not realise he was badly burnt,' said Mr Ellis. He said the deceased only complained about feeling a little bit of pain a few hours later, just before an ambulance arrived at around 4:30pm. The coroner, Cróna Gallagher, said some people with burn injuries did not appreciate the severity of their burns as they did not feel any pain because the injuries were so bad that nerve endings in their body had been damaged. Advertisement 'People with less severe burn injuries may feel far worse pain,' said Dr Gallagher. She observed that people with severe burn injuries might not seek the urgent treatment that they needed due to the misconception that the lack of pain indicated they were not badly hurt. 'It's a common issue that the part that is burnt can just look red, which means people think it might not be serious,' said Dr Gallagher. In reply to questions from the coroner, Mr Ellis said he would check on his neighbour two to three times per day. Advertisement He explained the deceased had moved his bedroom downstairs to the living room a few years previously because of his mobility issues. Mr Ellis also said his neighbour used the stove as his main source of heating and would be in the habit of packing it with wood. The deceased's brother, Jimmy Lynch, who gave evidence of formally identifying his brother's body to gardaí at St James's Hospital, said his brother had lived alone for over 25 years. While the deceased had a few health problems, including poor eyesight, Mr Lynch said his brother was able to manage, although he had not really left his house for a number of years. Advertisement Mr Lynch said he was never aware of any problem that his brother, who was a non-smoker, had with the stove. Sergeant Cathal Buggy gave evidence of examining the scene of the fatal incident and being satisfied that there was nothing suspicious about what happened. Sgt Buggy also confirmed that there was nothing defective with the stove. In a written statement, a paramedic, Billy Bushnell, said the initial triaging from the call for assistance had assessed Mr Lynch as a 'low priority' case. Mr Bushnell said the injured man was chatty and responsive to paramedics after the ambulance arrived at his house at 4:28pm. He said Mr Lynch had some third-degree burns and massive blistering on his legs, although he had stated that the pain was 'not too bad.' Mr Bushnell said he advised his controllers that the patient should be brought to St James's Hospital in Dublin, where the National Burns Unit is based, but was instructed to take him to Cavan General Hospital. He said he phoned ahead to the hospital in Cavan to have a resus team on standby, but none was in place by the time they arrived. The inquest heard Mr Lynch was transferred to St James's Hospital the following morning. Medical records showed he suffered burns to approximately 30 per cent of his body, which mostly related to his lower limbs. Doctors in St James's assessed him as requiring immediate surgery for full-thickness burns, as it was a life-threatening situation. However, they subsequently assessed that he would not survive further surgery, and his treatment was switched to palliative care. Dr Gallagher observed that it was not clear if it would have made any difference if Mr Lynch had received treatment sooner, although she believed it was 'unlikely". The results of a postmortem showed he had died as a result of complications of burns from material from a wood-burning stove, with heart disease as a contributory factor. Offering her sympathy to Mr Lynch's relatives, the coroner recorded a verdict of accidental death.
BBC News
30-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Premature baby's care at Leeds hospital 'unacceptable'
The parents of a premature baby boy who died just hours after his birth have described the care he received in hospital as "unacceptable".Benjamin Arnold developed breathing difficulties shortly after being born just over five weeks before his due date at St James's Hospital in Leeds in "missed" opportunities to diagnose a pneumothorax, also known as a collapsed lung, and had this been treated he would likely have survived, area coroner Oliver Longstaff said at an Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (LTHT), which runs the hospital, said it was "extremely sorry that Benjamin died whilst in our care". 'Missed opportunity' Mr Longstaff's narrative conclusion, following the inquest into Benjamin's death at Wakefield Coroner's Court last week, said the baby had "collapsed" during a procedure to help his underdeveloped lungs to breathe three hours after his to resuscitate him were ultimately unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead less than eight hours after he was Longstaff said there was a "missed opportunity to consider the possibility" of a pneumothorax early on in the process, because procedure policy "did not mandate a chest X-ray", which he said would probably have revealed it.A further opportunity was also missed when the medic performing the procedure did not discuss it with the neonatal consultant involved, the coroner added. The consultant would likely have asked if a pneumothorax had been ruled out as a cause of Benjamin's condition, the conclusion Longstaff said: "No thought was given to the pneumothorax being a potential, and potentially reversible, cause of the collapse."If they had been treated he would have, on the balance of probabilities, survived."The coroner said he was preparing a prevention of future deaths report, which would examine what lessons could be learned from the case and that would be published in due course. 'Important changes' In a statement to the BBC, Benjamin's parents said: "We are devastated by Benjamin's death."The standard of care he received was unacceptable."We urge Leeds Teaching Hospitals Trust to take the prevention of future deaths report seriously."We ask the government to urgently provide the funding for the new hospital building in Leeds. "This would allow all maternity and neonatal care to be provided from a single site and improve patient safety. This cannot wait any longer."In January, Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced the planned redevelopment of Leeds General Infirmary would not begin before 2030. At the time Professor Phil Wood, chief executive of Leeds Teaching Hospitals, said he was "extremely disappointed" by the the inquest, Dr Magnus Harrison, LTHT's medical director, said: "I am extremely sorry Benjamin died whilst in our care and I cannot imagine how difficult the last three years have been for his family."I want to reassure everyone that we have already made important changes to improve our neonatal service."These include changes to our policies to have a consultant neonatologist available on each hospital site and involving them earlier in the delivery of complex clinical procedures."While we recognise these do not undo the loss of Benjamin, we will continue to review our service and make improvements so we can deliver the best possible care for our babies and their families." Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.
Irish Times
22-05-2025
- Business
- Irish Times
Numbers working on children's hospital project dropped by third since January, politicians hear
There has been a 33 per cent decrease in the number of staff working on the site of the new national children's hospital since the start of the new year, politicians have been told. Building on the site at St James's Hospital in Dublin began in 2016 after years of disagreement over the location of the hospital. The following eight years were marked by ballooning costs – from €987 million to €2.2 billion, with repeated delays exacerbated by an increasingly fractious relationship between the builders, BAM , and the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board , which oversees the project. The hospital's completion date has been delayed once again, from June to September 2025, and patients are not due to be treated in there until June 2026 at the earliest. READ MORE At a meeting of the Oireachtas Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday morning, Phelim Devine, project director of the development board, said last October, when BAM committed to complete the hospital by June, there were 750 workers on site. 'Following that commitment, there was a bump. It bumped up to 900. But since January, that's slowly dropping off every month. It's now down below 600,' he said. David Gunning, chief executive of the board, said he did not have faith in BAM, the contractor as this is the '15th new timeline'. [ National children's hospital builder completes only 60% of progress Opens in new window ] Asked if he believed this new deadline would be met, Mr Gunning said it was 'too soon to tell', as the board had not yet had the opportunity to 'forensically examine the programme'. 'It is possible to get this hospital done by the 30th of September,' Mr Gunning said, but only 'if the appropriate resourcing is provided to get it done'. Those resources are not there 'at the moment', he said, 'but that doesn't mean it can't be provided'. Mr Gunning was asked about the status of legal claims. The Comptroller and Auditor General , Seamus McCarthy, said the development board paid BAM €122 million for a claim around delays. He said there was a high volume of claims coming in from the contractor, but there were 16 claims that amount to about €800 million relating to delays. One claim is valued at between €200 and €300 million, he added. 'There is duplication and triplication within [those] 16 claims,' he said. 'The contractor has to prove quite a lot to make these claims stick. It has to be dealt with, examined and analysed in a great deal of detail.' In a statement on Thursday evening, BAM Ireland said that over the past seven months 'in the region of 70 significant change orders, each of which can include multiple design changes, have been issued to BAM. This has inevitably delayed substantial completion'. On worker levels, the contractor added that the project has 'always been fully resourced by BAM' and is currently resourced at about 50 per cent higher than expected for this stage. Also before the committee on Thursday, Lucy Nugent, chief executive of Children's Health Ireland (CHI), apologised for the breakdown in trust that has occurred between patients and CHI, particularly in relation to orthopaedic services. She said the surgeon at the centre of a controversy about the use of unauthorised springs in three children's spinal surgeries, referred to as Surgeon A, remains on paid, voluntary leave while a 'HR process' is under way. A recent report on the matter by the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) criticised CHI for its culture and governance. Ms Nugent said it was her role as chief executive to ensure 'robust processes' were in place so staff feel 'psychological safety to speak up if they see something wrong'. Meanwhile, in the Dáil , Sinn Féin 's finance spokesman Pearse Doherty called on Tánaiste Simon Harris to take responsibility for a 'build as you go' contract for the hospital that 'declared open season on the public finances'. Mr Harris, who was minister for health at the time of the contract signing, said that, considering €110 billion is being spent annually, 'investing just over €2 billion over a number of years for a hospital that will serve children well into the next century is a good thing to do, an appropriate thing to do, and it will make a very, very significant difference to children's health'.
Irish Times
17-05-2025
- Health
- Irish Times
National children's hospital: Completion delayed until at least September
Substantial completion of the new national children's hospital has been delayed again until at least September, with patients now not expected to be treated at the facility until June 2026 at the earliest. Building on the site at St James's Hospital in Dublin began in 2016 after years of disagreement over the location of the hospital. The following eight years were marked by ballooning cost – from €987 million to €2.2 billion, with repeated delays exacerbated by an increasingly fractious relationship between the builders, BAM , and the board overseeing the project – the National Paediatric Hospital Development Board (NPHDB) In September last, the contractor pledged the new substantial completion date for the hospital would be June 2025 – the 14th such date issued by the builder. READ MORE It has now emerged that this will not be met, with the new date forecast for September at the earliest. However, sources have indicated the NPHDB is not confident of completion by the new target timeline. This delay will have an impact as to when the hospital will open to patients. Following substantial completion, the hospital will be handed over to Children's Health Ireland (CHI) for operational commissioning, which takes nine months. During this phase, more than 36,000 pieces of clinical equipment will be installed, electronic health records will be integrated, and more than 4,000 staff from the three existing hospitals will be trained. However, The Irish Times understands a September date will have an impact on the commissioning period, as this is the beginning of winter activity, when respiratory illnesses surge. Clinical advice has suggested migration to the new hospital cannot be undertaken in winter due to 'clinical risks'. Consequently, sources familiar with the project have indicated it will be June at the earliest before patients are treated in the hospital. In light of the consistent delays to the project, NPHDB agreed with BAM that CHI could have access to the site from April to mitigate risks of delays to operational commissioning and to complete technical commissioning. This early access has not been granted, however, as areas selected for early access have not yet being completed to a contractual standard. It is understood that this early access will be provided in the coming weeks, but it is expected to be conducted on a phased basis. Asked about delays, a spokeswoman for NPHDB said work towards substantial completion is 'continuing and approaching the final stages'. 'A key focus currently relates to the completion of all rooms and spaces within the hospital to the standard required by the contract, ie, snag free,' the spokeswoman said. 'This process is advancing. In addition, the technical commissioning is being undertaken and will continue until substantial completion.' In a statement last week about early access, a Department of Health spokeswoman said all parties were working to 'minimise further delays' and the Government wanted to see the hospital open 'as soon as possible'. Asked about the delay, a BAM Ireland spokesman said: 'The NCH project is at a very advanced stage and is well through the technical commissioning process. BAM is working closely with the NPHDB and CHI to ensure early access for CHI.' The latest delay comes after significant tensions between BAM and the NPHDB, with the body previously alleging the contractor was holding the hospital 'hostage' to secure more funding from the State. The contractor denied these allegations and blamed late-stage design changes by the NPHDB for the delays. Next Thursday, the NPHDB, CHI, Seamus McCarthy, Comptroller and Auditor General, and staff from the department and Health Service Executive will appear before the Public Accounts Committee to update politicians on the project.
Telegraph
11-05-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Sir Ian McGeechan: ‘I have prostate cancer'
The conversation then swings around to his health. 'The Lion King' has an important disclosure to make, and in the moment, displays all the leadership skills that guided the tourists to series victories in 1989 and 1997. 'I have prostate cancer,' he says, matter-of-factly. 'I have just completed a six-week course of radiotherapy. I feel all right, really, just a bit more tired. I always sleep well anyway so it has probably just added to it. I have to wait six weeks then have scans and a review of how effective the treatment has been. 'I have told the players here before the treatment started because there would be times when I would not be around for meetings or on the training field with them. The players have asked me how it is going and have been very good. 'I don't want to make a big thing of it, but it is important to get the message out about urging people to go and get tested. I said that to our players here. I said to them that they make sure they get themselves tested. If you are younger, it is more important. 'Hopefully this interview can be educational. What I would say to people is don't back off it. It is a blood test, it is not what you always think. Just get it done. I have good people looking after me. It is the very good side of the NHS. The staff of the Bexley Cancer Wing at St James's Hospital in Leeds have been absolutely brilliant. 'When I had my last treatment, from the receptionist to the radiographer, they all said: 'Well done, good luck, have a happy time.' Everyone. They all knew. When they are looking up your details and you are going on to your next step, it says which number of treatment is it, and it is what they say to every person when they get to their last treatment, which I think is great. That support and the environment is so positive. What will be, will be.' 'The doctor looking after me is a rugby man' McGeechan said the problem first emerged just over a year ago. 'I started getting up to go to the loo in the middle of the night, which I have never done before,' he adds. 'As my wife would say, I can sleep through most things, so the fact that I was on the move in the middle of the night was something different. 'Judy told me to get a blood test to check and the PSA [prostate-specific antigen] was higher than normal. I was sent to a special consultant in Leeds and then he put me on a monitoring system – regular blood tests, MRI scans and two biopsies. It was after the first biopsy they said there was definitely cancer there. A lot of it was level two or three but a little bit was level four, which is the dangerous one. 'It was continually being monitored and to make sure I had another biopsy and scan last October and it had changed, and the decision was made to look at treatment and look at it more closely to not let it get out of hand. 'The doctor who is looking after me is a Northern Irishman and is a rugby man, so he did recognise me and some of the other doctors came to see me in the waiting area to shake my hand. It is nice. It still means a lot because the Lions have been such a big part of my life, and my family's life. 'I was booked in for treatment for the start of April after a month-long course of pills, and I did 20 days of treatment. They put little tattoos on your stomach and around your pelvis where the cancer is and then they line up with lasers to accurately target with the radiotherapy. 'After treatment in the morning I would try to come up here to Doncaster for training in the afternoon.' 'You just deal with it and get on with it' In October, McGeechan will enter his 80th year, but he looks at least 20 years younger. The athletic frame that won him 32 caps for Scotland at fly-half or centre still visible as he sports a Doncaster tracksuit. He joined the championship club as consultant director of rugby last year as a mentor to head coach Joe Ford.
