The widow of a Ballindine man who died after a two-year delay in diagnosing his cancer has received an apology from the HSE.
The High Court yesterday (Thursday ) approved a settlement of €102,000 against the HSE for the delay in diagnosing the 59-year-old Mayo man with cancer of the neck.
The widow of John McNeive, Eileen, said the apology was most important to her. The HSE also apologised for the hurt and distress caused to the family.
A sum of €25,000, included in the settlement, is to be divided among Mr McNeive’s widow, his two sons, and seven siblings, for mental distress, but the family have described the amount as ”paltry” and have called for reforms in the law governing the amounts that can be paid for mental distress.
The family said they hoped lessons would be learned and systems within the HSE would improve.
The court heard that the deceased was first referred to University Hospital Galway in 2003. Following tests there and at Beaumont Hospital in Dublin cancer was not diagnosed for a further two years. He died in a hospice in August 2005.
Mr Justice John Quirke, in approving the settlement, offered his sympathy to the McNeive family.
