Coombe board accepts ‘mistakes were made’ with vaccination programme

Reacting to a review of the hospital’s vaccine programme, the board of the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital has accepted that “mistakes were made, not least in the decision to vaccinate family members and, in one case, in the administration of two vaccines offsite”. 

The board was reacting to an independent review, carried out by Brian Kennedy SC, into the vaccine programme undertaken at the Hospital.

“Lessons must and will be learnt to ensure that similar issues cannot recur,” the board said in a statement.

The scope of the review was to carry out a factual review into the commissioning, planning and execution of the vaccine programme at the Coombe in January, 2021.

Having considered the review, the board has concluded that guidelines set out in the template vaccination plan in respect of the priority list for vaccination, were followed at all times, save for 16 doses administered to the families of some hospital staff on the night of Friday 8 January.

The 16 vaccinations were administered across eight families who otherwise would not have been eligible to receive the vaccinations that evening. Of the 16 recipients, nine were over 70 and the remaining seven were of varying age. In the case of one family, two vaccinations occurred offsite.

“Despite the mitigating factors, and the overall success of the vaccine programme, the Board is disappointed that 16 family members were vaccinated with leftover vaccines,” said Ms Mary Donovan, chair of the board.

“This should not have happened.  We are also concerned that in the case of one family, two vaccinations occurred offsite. Again, this should not have happened.

“The board takes what occurred extremely seriously and has started a process to address the implications. In addition, key actions and measures are being implemented to ensure such an incident could not occur again and Hospital guidelines and protocols will be enhanced with a particular focus on embedding our strong values as a community-based voluntary Hospital”

* A copy of the review can be found here www.coombe.ie/our-news/independent-review