No Inquiry In Post Mortem Fractures Case

A public inquiry would not provide the answers sought by the family of a woman whose body suffered injuries after her death in hospital.

Speaking in the Assembly, NI Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said that despite two thorough investigations into this incident, no definitive answer had been found as to how she sustained a number of fractures following her death.

He said: "I want to start by expressing my sincere sympathies to the McGinley family.

"While today we are discussing the unfortunate events that took place after Mrs McGinley's death, I think it is important to emphasise two matters, firstly that her death was a result of natural causes and secondly, there has never been any question about the quality of her medical care while in hospital.

"When I met with them in February, members of the McGinley family told me that they were content that their mother had been well cared for during the period of her short illness in Altnagelvin Hospital.

"However, I fully acknowledge that for any of us, learning that a loved one's body had suffered injury after death would be distressing and disturbing.

"That is why the McGinley family's desire to understand how this happened is absolutely understandable," he said.

Mrs McGinley was admitted to Altnagelvin Hospital after suffering a fall at home and died on the evening of 3 January 2007 in the hospital.

Her body was taken to Belfast City Mortuary by undertakers acting for the Coroners Service for the post mortem.

However, following the post mortem, the Western Health and Social Care Trust Chief Executive immediately conducted an internal investigation into the handling of Mrs McGinley's body within Altnagelvin Hospital.

That investigation concluded that all handling and transfers of the body were carried out in accordance with hospital protocol.

The Minister continued: "In response to the family's continuing concerns the trust wrote to the Coroner asking if he would undertake an independent review of the practices across all the organisations which had responsibility for the body from the time of Mrs McGinley's death until it was returned to the family.

"In addition to this, I have personally received a detailed account from the Trust of the events following Mrs McGinley's death."

The Coroner agreed to undertake an investigation and report the findings to the trust. PSNI officers, acting under the direction of the Coroner, conducted the necessary enquiries.

"I am advised that all those who had come into contact with Mrs McGinley's body were identified and interviewed and statements were taken," he added.

"I am also advised that having reviewed this evidence, the Coroner concluded that it was not possible to establish how Mrs McGinley's fractures were sustained. Nor were any recommendations made to the trust regarding the procedures for handling and moving Mrs McGinley's body within the hospital following her death.

"Neither of these investigations found evidence that health service staff had acted inappropriately.

"Therefore, I remain of the view that a public enquiry would not shed any further light on this sad incident.

"While I would like to be in a position to provide clearer answers for Mrs McGinley's family, this is unfortunately not possible, despite all efforts to fully and rigorously investigate the matter," he concluded.

According to the Minister's Department officials the autopsy revealed a total of 34 fractures, the vast majority of which were sustained after death and also that the the patient had marked osteoporosis.

However, a large number of post mortem fractures are extremely unusual, even in the presence of marked osteoporosis - but that does not necessarily mean that the body was subjected to rough handling,

The officials said that, often undertakers transport a body on a stretcher with the body secured by means of adjustable straps and that it is possible that if the strap across the chest had been applied tightly, it could cause these injuries.

(BMcC)