Family of woman who died after getting wrong medicine from pharmacy settle court case

High Court reporters

The family of a woman who allegedly collapsed and later died after taking medicine supplied by her local pharmacy which was intended for another customer has settled a High Court action over her death.

Margaret Corcoran (73), a mother of two and grandmother of six, was found in a collapsed state at her home in Tymonville Park, Tallaght, Dublin, on October 9th, 2022.

She was transferred to hospital where she was found to have suffered a brain injury. Ms Corcoran did not recover and died in hospital 11 days later on October 20th, 2022.

In the proceedings it was claimed that a blister pack of medication which was prescribed for another person with the same first name was mistakenly delivered to Ms Corcoran six days before she was found collapsed in her home.

The family’s counsel, Esther Earley BL, instructed by O’Brien & Co Solicitors, told the High Court the case had been settled and it was before the court for approval the division of the statutory €35,000 mental distress solatium payment. The settlement is without an admission of liability.

Ms Corcoran’s sister, Marian Reilly, of Lucan, Dublin, had sued Glenview Pharmacy Ltd, with a registered address at Upper Baggot Street, Dublin, and trading as Meaghers Pharmacy, over the death of her sister.

On October 3rd, 2022, it was claimed that a blister pack of tablets was prepared at Meagher’s Pharmacy, Castletymon Park Shopping Centre, Tymon Road, Tallaght, for dispatch to Ms Corcoran.

However, it was alleged that an incorrect blister pack meant for someone else was sent to Ms Corcoran.

In the proceedings it was claimed there was a failure to exercise the appropriate level of care, skill and diligence that Ms Corcoran was entitled to expect in relation to dispatching her prescription medication to her home.

It was also claimed there was a failure to have any or any adequate system of checks and safeguards in place to ensure that prescriptions and medication dispensed were checked and rechecked to ensure that they were dispatched to the correct customer.

Somebody else’s prescription was wrongly and mistakenly delivered to Ms Corcoran, it was alleged. It was contended there was a failure to contact Ms Corcoran urgently or at all to ensure that she did not consume the medication when they ought to have known the significant risks the medication posed for her.

It was claimed that sub-standard pharmacy services had been provided to Ms Corcoran.

At an inquest in March last year into the death of Ms Corcoran, her sister Ms Reilly described finding her sister on the ground beside her bed in an unresponsive state with “frothing from her mouth.”

A representative of Meaghers Pharmacy Group at the inquest offered the company’s “most heartfelt condolences” to Ms Corcoran’s family.

She said the pharmacy only became aware that the wrong medication had been given to Ms Corcoran after it had been contacted by a nurse following Ms Corcoran's admission to the hospital.

The Coroner’s Court also heard that afterwards storage at the nine Meaghers Pharmacy outlets had been rearranged and labels on all prescription bags are now double checked by two staff members, including one who must be a pharmicist

A verdict of death by misadventure was returned.