Hyponatraemia: New Raychel Ferguson inquest 'opportunity for truth'

Raychel Ferguson died at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children in June 2001

A solicitor representing the family of a nine-year-old girl who died from hyponatraemia has said a new inquest will be "an opportunity for truth".

Raychel Ferguson, from Londonderry, died at the Royal Belfast Hospital for Sick Children in June 2001.

She died a day after an appendix operation at Altnagelvin Hospital in Derry.

Desmond Doherty, the Ferguson family's solicitor, said the first day of pre-inquest proceedings was "momentous".

Raychel's parents, Ray and Marie Ferguson, have long campaigned to find out the truth about their daughter's death.

Hyponatraemia is an abnormally low level of sodium in blood and can occur when fluids are given incorrectly.

An inquiry in 2018 found that Raychel Ferguson's death was avoidable

Raychel's parents were very critical of a previous inquest held into her death in 2003, which Mrs Ferguson described as a "shambles".

In 2013, the Western Health and Social Care Trust admitted liability for her death.

An inquiry in 2018 into the deaths of five children in Northern Ireland hospitals, including Raychel, found her death was avoidable.

The 14-year-long inquiry into hyponatraemia-related deaths was heavily critical of the "self-regulating and unmonitored" health service.

In his report in 2018, Mr Justice O'Hara found there was a "reluctance among clinicians to openly acknowledge failings" in Raychel's death.

He said her death was the result of "negligent care".

A fresh inquest into Raychel's death was then ordered in 2019 by then Northern Ireland Attorney General John Larkin.

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Solicitor Desmond Doherty described the first day of proceedings in Bishop Street Court House in Derry as "the first day of a long process".

He said there would now be a series of preliminary hearings to deal with "disclosure of documentation, scope of the inquiry and witnesses coming forward".

Speaking to BBC Radio Foyle, Mr Doherty said the family were very thankful they were finally getting a legal process in their home city and that it was "an opportunity for truth".

"That is all the family want, because they have been obstructed in getting to the truth time and time again," he said.

Raychel's parents, Ray and Marie Ferguson, have long campaigned to find out the truth about their daughter's death.

Mr Doherty encouraged the Western Trust to "co-operate fully with this inquest".

In a statement, a spokesperson for Western Trust said: "We are sorry to the Ferguson family for the death of Raychel.

"We wish to assure the family that we will assist the coroner in every way possible and participate fully and openly in the inquest process."