South Tipp General criticised for not following protocol in death of Tipp man

South Tipp General Hospital has been criticised for promising to introduce procedures which were already in place in the facility.

It follows the hospital’s admission of responsibility in the death of a 28 year old Tipperary father of 5, who was not diagnosed with a brain bleed despite visiting the Hospitals Accident and Emergency department 3 times.
28 year old Evan Morrissey from New Inn first attended the Emergency Department of South Tipp General Hospital in March of 2014 complaining of a severe headache, he was diagnosed with migraine and sent home.
He again attended A and E twice more, complaining of worsening symptoms.
A CT scan was performed and showed nothing so he was again sent home.

But on the 4th occasion he attended, a CT scan was again carried out which showed an acute right frontal lobe cerebral haemorrhage.
He was transferred to hospital in Cork but died of a cardiac arrest on March 22nd.

Mr Morrissey’s partner Gwen had sued the HSE on behalf of the family, over the care he recieved at South Tipp General, claiming that had doctors done their jobs correctly and followed protocol, a lumbar puncture should have been performed after the negative CT in order to completely rule out a cerebral haemorrhage.

This week, South Tipp General Hospital accepted responsibility for the tragic death and offered an apology, saying that protocols would now be put in place to ensure this never happens again.

But solicitor Cian O’Carroll who represented the family, says these protocols were already in place and should have saved Evan’s life