This grandmother died in hospital - then more than 30 of her bones were broken
More than two months after their mother died, the family of Maureen McGinley received news that was to change their lives forever in a meeting with her GP.
The only thing that is known for sure is that the fractures happened at some point between her death from pneumonia at Altnagelvin Hospital in Londonderry and her body arriving for a post-mortem examination in Belfast. She spent most of her life in the town of Strabane, perched on the border with the Republic of Ireland.
The living room is adorned with religious pictures as well as photos of her children and grandchildren. “She was just a wee pensioner that always had time for everyone and that’s what makes what happened to her in the end even more awful.” A decision had been made by the hospital that as Maureen had been admitted following a fall, her case should be reported to the coroner and a post-mortem examination was to be carried out to determine the cause of death.
Tina said: “I just remember mammy’s GP saying: ‘I’m not sure how to tell you this but your mother had a large number broken bones after death.“When I stopped I didn’t even know where I was, but all I could think about was how am I going to tell the rest of the family?” He said: “I had to tell the brothers and I remember going to her grave, just almost to talk to her.”
He found that Maureen’s body had 34 unexplained fractures to her chest and a broken bone in her neck. He noted that Maureen had osteoporosis, which can result in brittle bones and can sometimes mean bones can be “easily fractured”. “This would strongly suggest that at some point during the handling or moving of the body some considerable force had been applied to the chest, however there are no specific features to indicate exactly how they were sustained.” He said that there was the “possibility” that they could have been caused by straps used by the undertaker when transporting the body from the hospital mortuary.
Maureen’s youngest daughter Tina still finds it difficult to contemplate the extent of her mother’s injuries.“Our mother was only a small wee thing, it’s just awful, it’s unthinkable.” Referencing Dr Bentley’s comments, the trust’s investigation concluded: “Often undertakers transport a body on a stretcher with the body secured by means of adjustable straps, it is possible that if the straps across the chest had been applied tightly, it could cause these injuries.”
Her daughter, Anna, said: “It all just seemed to be finished very quickly and it looked like blame was being put on the undertaker without acknowledging it could have happened at the hospital and there was no definite conclusion.”Fifteen years of campaigning have provided the McGinley family with a scrapbook filled with newspaper clippings, but not many answers.“It’s hard to believe that after all these years we’re no closer to the truth.
The Northern Ireland Public Service Ombudsman is the last stop for families who feel they have been failed by public bodies, such as health trusts.The McGinley family took their complaint to the Northern Ireland Public Service Ombudsman in 2013 and the report was finished in 2017.Dr Tom FrawleyDr Frawley’s report was an extensive examination of all the possible causes of Maureen McGinley’s post-mortem fractures.
The ombudsman interviewed deputy state pathologist Dr Alastair Bentley as part of his investigation - he reiterated that he had raised the straps being used by the undertaker as only one possible explanation.The ombudsman said the communication from the trust to the funeral director that the post-mortem report had stated the injuries were his was fault, was simply “wrong”.
“It hasn’t been a satisfactory outcome for them, because 15 years on they’re still trying to get answers, it’s been a complete nightmare for them.” But the McGinleys say that they were subsequently informed by the trust that the cameras had in fact not been working at the time their mother’s body was transported through the tunnel.
The trust also informed the ombudsman that the video recording system at the hospital in 2007 involved the use of 31 video cassette tapes. “All we wanted was help in getting answers as to what happened to our mother’s body and that footage could have been really important in that, but we’ll never know now.”
But the trust didn’t keep sufficient records around the last offices process and the ombudsman said this made it impossible to find out exactly what happened then. However, the police's investigation was also unable to reach any definitive conclusions in relation to the cause of the fractures. Following the ombudsman’s investigation, the Western Trust extended its condolences and sympathies to the McGinley family.
Fifteen years after Maureen McGinley’s death, BBC News NI asked the Western Trust if it acknowledged that it was possible that the fractures could have occurred in the grounds of Altnagelvin Hospital. “After a referral, as it is the coroner that takes possession of someone’s relative, it’s important that body is treated with dignity and respect and I take that responsibility very seriously.” “I completely understand why the McGinley family feel like they do, that they can’t move on or grieve properly because there are still answers outstanding to the questions they have."
The inquiry is chaired by Sir Jonathon Michael and the full terms of reference are due to be announcedWhile searching for answers themselves, the McGinleys threw their support behind another family’s campaign for transparency in the health service. It found that four of the children’s deaths, including Raychel’s, were avoidable and was highly critical of a “self-regulating and unmonitored” health service.
This would mean that, under law, every healthcare organisation and everyone working for them must be open and honest with patients and the public.
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