Family's fury over fractured body

The children of a 78-year-old Strabane woman say they will continue to fight for a public inquiry despite the health minister's refusal to grant one.

Maureen McGinley died from pneumonia at Altnagelvin Hospital last January. A post-mortem examination revealed 34 bones were broken after her death.

But Health Minister Michael McGimpsey said a public inquiry would not shed any further light on what happened.

Her daughter, Tina, is angry that Mr McGimpsey did not contact the

family.

"A neighbour came to the door and said she was sorry that we didn't get a public inquiry, and that's the way we were told about it," she said.

"Mr McGimpsey never even phoned the house or phoned anybody to let us know that there wouldn't be a public inquiry into it. We're just all devastated."

On Thursday, the health minister, explaining his decision, said: "My understanding is that events surrounding Mrs McGinley's death have been subjected to a very comprehensive examination, both internally by the trust and by the coroner's service, who took responsibility for delivering her body to the Belfast City Mortuary for post-mortem.

"Despite that comprehensive investigation it has not been possible to provide a totally satisfactory explanation for the fractures which Mrs McGinley sustained after her death.

"For the sake of the family, we need a full, external and independent inquiry, where people who had dealings with Maureen's body after her death are interviewed"
Dr Kieran Deeney
Independent MLA

"I am of the view that any further review, or indeed a public inquiry, into the circumstances is unlikely to shed any further light on how this unfortunate incident occurred."

Between the pensioner's death in January 2007 and examination by the coroner, Mrs McGinley's body sustained numerous fractures, primarily to her rib cage.

Internal inquiries at the hospital and the Coroner's Office failed to establish who was responsible.

Mrs McGinley's children have campaigned vigorously for answers and collected more than 14,000 signatures on a petition calling for a public inquiry.

Independent MLA Dr Kieran Deeney, who sits on the Stormont health committee, said "internal inquiries do not boost public confidence".

"For the sake of the family, we need a full, external and independent inquiry, where people who had dealings with Maureen's body after her death are interviewed," he said.

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