The Daily Star Ireland
A legal case involving a woman who was mistakenly given another mother’s newborn at Cork University Hospital has concluded with a settlement and a formal apology from the Health Service Executive (HSE). The incident occurred nearly four years ago and led to a High Court action centered on hospital protocol and patient safety.
Catherine Shine, a 39-year-old mother from Kiskeam, Mallow, Co. Cork, gave birth to her daughter, Hannah Kate, by emergency caesarean section on September 8, 2021. Both mother and baby remained at Cork University Hospital for three days following the procedure. On the night before discharge, Hannah Kate was cared for in the hospital’s nursery.
Identification Error Before Discharge
On September 11, the morning Ms Shine was preparing to leave the hospital, she requested her daughter be returned to her care. At that point, she was mistakenly handed a different infant. Ms Shine quickly noticed discrepancies between the baby she was given and her own child. After checking the identification tag, she confirmed that the newborn was not hers.
The mix-up was corrected promptly, and the baby was returned to the correct mother within a short time. While the incident was brief, it caused considerable distress to Ms Shine, who said she immediately sensed that the baby in her arms was not her daughter.
Case Settled and Formal Apology Delivered
During a hearing at the High Court, legal representatives for Ms Shine confirmed that a settlement had been reached. The court was informed that liability had been accepted by Cork University Hospital. Justice Emily Egan acknowledged the agreement, which includes a formal apology from the hospital. The terms of the settlement remain confidential.
Following the resolution of the case, Ms Shine expressed relief that the matter had been resolved and that she had received an apology. She explained her reason for pursuing legal action was to ensure accountability and to prevent similar incidents from occurring to other mothers in the future.
Ms Shine described the experience as deeply upsetting but said she hoped her case would prompt better safeguards around newborn identification in maternity wards. She reiterated that her actions were intended to highlight the seriousness of the issue and ensure that lessons are learned within the healthcare system.
