The HSE and a Kilkenny hospital have apologised in the High Court to the family of a Mayo woman, who died less than 3 hours after giving birth to her second child.
Tracey Campbell-Fitzpatrick, a native of Knock who lived in Carlow, died in the early hours of Easter Monday 2016 after suffering a massive postpartum haemorrhage within minutes of the birth of her son Max at St Luke's General Hospital in Kilkenny.
Tracey's husband Bernard Fitzpatrick of Nurney, Co Carlow had, on behalf of the family, sued the HSE.
They claimed she bled to death due to lack of effective intervention.
She suffered cardiac arrest and subsequently died on March 28th 2016.
In a letter read to the court yesterday, as her husband and family settled their action over her death, the HSE and the hospital gave an unreserved apology for the "failings in care" afforded to the young mother.
It extended deepest sympathy to the family on behalf of hospital staff.
Mr Justice Kevin Cross was told liability was admitted in the case when it went to mediation.
Outside the court, Tracey's parents Pauline and James Campbell from Knock addressed the media.
James said his daughter was a fantastic mother, wife, daughter and sister, and her death was unnecessary.
He said the family had been put through hell for the past 5years in their search for the truth, and said he hopes the HSE has learnt from the failings in Tracey's care to ensure greater patient safety in the Irish maternity services for all expectant mothers.
Approving the settlement, Mr Justice Cross offered his sympathy to the Campbell and Fitzpatrick families on their loss.
