Hyponatraemia inquest an opportunity for the truth, mother says

The mother of a nine-year-old girl who died from hyponatraemia has said a new inquest that started today is "an opportunity for truth".

Raychel Ferguson, from Londonderry, died at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children in June 2001.

She died a day after an appendix operation at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry.

Her parents, Ray and Marie Ferguson, have long campaigned to find out the truth about their daughter's death.

They told BBC News NI it was significant that their daughter's second inquest was taking place in their home city.

Mrs Ferguson said she promised her daughter she would find out the truth about what happened and that is what keeps her going.

Hyponatraemia is an abnormally low level of sodium in blood and can occur when fluids are incorrectly administered.

Speaking outside Bishop Street courthouse, Mrs Ferguson said the fact there was a second inquest "speaks to the culture of cover up that has plagued her death, involving the medical and legal professions".

"What happened in Raychel's case was exposed as much as could be by Judge O'Hara in his inquiry report of 2018 which we welcome and rely on," she said.

The inquest heard on Tuesday from Raychel's surgeon, Ragai Makar.

He told the inquest his evidence remained the same as the first inquest and what he had told the Hyponatraemia Inquiry.

Mr Makar said he had been happy with how the surgery had gone to remove the child's appendix and that he had visited Raychel the morning after and saw her sitting up in bed talking to her father which was a good sign.

However, when questioned by counsel Mr Makar said he had not examined Raychel or referred to her post-op notes when he spoke with her.

He said he had been informed by nurses that Raychel had been examined previously by a registrar so it would not have been right to check up on a colleague.

However, it emerged that it had been a senior house officer who had examined the nine-year-old.

This is a less senior position than a registrar.

The inquest was also told Mr Makar did not question why Raychel's fluids had been changed and also that there had been no formal handover between senior clinicians.

In 2018 the Hyponatraemia Inquiry - which examined the deaths of five children in Northern Ireland hospitals, including Raychel - found her death was avoidable.

The 14-year-long inquiry was heavily critical of the "self-regulating and unmonitored" health service.

In his report in 2018, Mr Justice O'Hara found there was a "reluctance among clinicians to openly acknowledge failings" in Raychel's death.

He said her death was the result of "negligent care".

The new inquest into her death was first opened in January 2022 after being ordered by the attorney general, but was postponed in October after new evidence came to light.

Mrs Ferguson has always maintained that all she ever wanted was the truth surrounding her daughter's death.

"It remains to be seen whether the self-serving interests of the medical and legal professions continues, or if the truth is told in the interests of justice," she said.

"As a family we will wait and see."