Coroner set to consider findings after inquest into death of young girl following appendix operation

A coroner is set to consider his findings after an inquest into the death of a young girl following an appendix operation in 2001.

Raychel Ferguson, 9, from Coshquin, Co Londonderry, died a day after the procedure in 2001.

She was one of five children whose hospital treatment was examined in the long-running Hyponatraemia Inquiry.

The inquiry concluded that Raychel's death could have been avoided.

An inquest into her death was ordered in January 2022 by the Attorney General for Northern Ireland Brenda King.

On Monday, in what is expected to be one of the final hearings of the inquest being heard by Coroner Joe McCrisken, Belfast Coroner's Court heard the findings would be issued within the next four to six weeks.

Mr McCrisken asked for final comments from the interested parties.

John Coyle, representing the Ferguson family, said the case is "not mere negligence".

"It isn't mere inadvertence or a one-off mistake or carelessness on the part of a tired nurse or clinician...it is utter systemic failure," he said.

"This was preventable, it was preventable if there had been the correct dissemination of timely information that was known."

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