Family settle action against Cork doctor over death of mother 

The family of a 77-year old woman who attended a Co Cork GP for a blood removal procedure but later died has settled a High Court action over her death.

Mother of four and grandmother to five, Mary O’Donoghue it was claimed was found unresponsive on the floor of a treatment room at Cork Road Clinic, Mallow, Co Cork some time after she had the venesection procedure four years ago.

Mary O’Donoghue’s daughter Lisa Conway, Mallow, had sued GP Elizabeth Hyde with a practice at Cork Road Clinic, Mallow Primary Healthcare Clinic, Gouldshill, Mallow. All of the claims were denied.

The settlement which is confidential is without an admission of liability. 

John Lucey SC instructed by Cantillons solicitors told the court the case was before the court for the division of the statutory mental distress payment of €35,000 only.

In the proceedings, it was claimed that Mrs O’Donoghue in 2019 was diagnosed with an inherited condition which causes iron to build up in the body and a course of therapeutic venesection which involves the regular removal of blood was arranged.

Mrs O’Donoghue attended a number of venesection appointments at the Cork Road Clinic throughout 2019 and January 2020. 

It was claimed that it was not unusual for the pensioner to feel unwell following the blood removal and it was her routine to stay in the clinic until she felt well enough to leave and she would telephone her husband and ask him to collect her.

It was claimed on February 5, 2020, Mrs O’Donoghue attended the Cork Road Clinic for venesection and the GP Elizabeth Hyde consulted with her and the venesection was carried out in the treatment room.

It was further claimed that following the treatment Mrs O’Donoghue allegedly remained in the treatment room alone. 

Her husband phoned her and she indicated to him she was ready to go but it is claimed he thought she sounded particularly weak on the phone.

David O’Donoghue, when he got to the clinic went into the waiting room but after twenty minutes he noticed a commotion. It is claimed he was told his wife was very ill and the doctors were with her and he was advised to contact the rest of the family.

It is claimed that a practice nurse had entered the treatment room and found Mrs O’Donoghue on the floor by the couch , unresponsive and bleeding form her nose and there was no pulse. 

CPR was started and the pensioner was intubated and transferred to Cork University Hospital, where the family were later told Mrs O’Donoghue had suffered a brain injury. She died on February 8, 2020.

It was claimed there was an alleged failure at the clinic to continue supervision of the pensioner after venesection until she was in an appropriate condition to leave the surgery and that she had allegedly been left alone in the clinic treatment room after the procedure.

All of the claims were denied.

Approving the division of the solatium, Mr Justice Paul Coffey conveyed his deepest sympathy to Mary O’Donoghue’s family.