Hyponatraemia deaths: coroner calls for independent examiner

A coroner has called for the urgent appointment of an independent medical examiner for Northern Ireland, as recommended by an inquiry into five children's deaths in hospital.
Jennifer Roberts whose daughter Claire died of hyponatraemia during the inquiry into her death.Jennifer Roberts whose daughter Claire died of hyponatraemia during the inquiry into her death.
Jennifer Roberts whose daughter Claire died of hyponatraemia during the inquiry into her death.

Coroner Joe McCrisken said it could stop other families having to go through the trauma experienced by parents involved in the Hyponatraemia Inquiry.

Hyponatraemia is a potentially fatal condition caused by abnormally low levels of sodium in the blood.

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When the 14-year inquiry ended in January, chairman Mr Justice O’Hara said some medical witnesses “had to have the truth dragged out of them”.

The creation of an independent medical examiner post was among 96 of his final recommendations.

But the introduction of such a role requires legislation from the Northern Ireland Executive, currently in suspension.

A medical examiner would have authority to scrutinise more deaths than are currently independently analysed.

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Mr McCrisken said the move would offer greater transparency.

“I would like to see a much more robust system of death investigation and part of that would be the introduction of an independent medical examiner that was recommended by Mr Justice O’Hara,” he told BBC News NI.

“That would strengthen the independence and scrutiny of deaths like the children that were the subject of the inquiry, and could prevent other families and other parents going through what the Roberts and other families had to go through.”

He said an independent medical examiner may have picked up on Claire’s death, which was not reported to the coroner for four years.

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He is currently hearing a fresh inquest into Claire Roberts’ death.

The nine-year-old schoolgirl from east Belfast die after being admitted to the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children in 1996, suffering from vomiting and drowsiness. However she died two days later from a fatal overdose of fluids and medication.

For 21 years, her parents, Alan and Jennifer Roberts, protested that the truth about her death had been concealed.