Appointment of UHL executive to new senior role ‘not a promotion’, Donnelly says

The appointment of the top executive of University Hospital Limerick (UHL) at the time of 16-year-old Aoife Johnston’s death to a new senior role in the health service is “not a promotion” and is a result of her role no longer existing, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has said.
On Thursday, The Irish Times revealed Colette Cowan has been appointed as one of the new integrated healthcare area managers in the midwest region. The role is part of the new structural reforms of the Health Service Executive (HSE).
Ms Cowan is one of six individuals who is facing disciplinary proceedings following the death of Ms Johnston, and has been placed on administrative leave pending further investigations. She has not taken up the new role, and remains on administrative leave.
[ Senior Limerick hospital executive appointed to new role under HSE reformsOpens in new window ]
Ms Johnston, from Shannon in Co Clare, died of meningitis in December 2022 after she was referred to the hospital’s emergency department with suspected sepsis that went untreated for 13 hours. A report by former chief justice Frank Clarke found the circumstances that led to her death were “almost certainly avoidable”.
Asked about Ms Cowan’s appointment at a meeting of the Oireachtas health committee on Thursday, Mr Donnelly said there was a need to be “very careful about what we say” as there is a “significant disciplinary process under way against the person”.
Mr Donnelly said as part of the structural reform, which is seeking to take out “several layers of senior management”, there is a “redeployment” of community health organisations leadership and hospital group leadership.
[ Almost 240 patients died in UHL emergency department over past five yearsOpens in new window ]
“I believe a redeployment of senior management is a reasonable thing to do. It’s not a promotion. It is moving to what arguably is being seen as a smaller span of control,” he said.
“The role which was held, which was hospital group chief executive, does not exist any more. With regard to the midwest, as of this moment no findings have been found against anyone in UHL.”
According to Mr Donnelly, the disciplinary action against six people represents “the single biggest move of accountability in the 20-year history of the HSE”.
However, Mr Donnelly advised politicians not to “underestimate the power of contract law in this country”.
He referred to the recent legal action by Brian Lenehen, chief clinical director of the UL Hospitals Group, who is seeking an order from the High Court that he be returned to his role in the hospital “forthwith”.
“The burden falls strongly in favour of the employee. I’m not saying that’s wrong,” Mr Donnelly added.
As part of the changes in the midwest region, Mr Donnelly said Ian Carter had been appointed chief executive over acute and older persons services, while Dr Catherine Peters was appointed regional clinical director.
[ Clinical director at Limerick hospital where Aoife Johnston died placed on leave due to ‘serious risk’ to patientsOpens in new window ]
In light of the concerns about the safety of patients and staff due to excessive overcrowding, the Minister requested the Health Information and Quality Authority (Hiqa) to complete a review to ascertain whether there was a need for a second emergency department in the midwest region.
Mr Donnelly said there was “clearly a case to be made for a second emergency department” and that’s why he requested the review.
However, he said there was “nuance” to that, and the watchdog would also be looking at where the best location was for such a facility to be located.
Hiqa was to provide a preliminary briefing on this in February, with a final report to be provided in May, he said.