The family of a woman who allegedly died after taking medicine supplied by her local pharmacy that 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.
Ms Corcoran’s sister, Marian Reilly, of Lucan, Dublin, sued Glenview Pharmacy Ltd with a registered address at Upper Baggot Street, Dublin, trading as Meaghers Pharmacy.
READ MORE
The family’s barrister, Esther Earley, instructed by O’Brien & Co solicitors, told the High Court this week the case had been settled. There was no admission of liability.
In the proceedings, it was claimed that a blister pack of medication 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.
On October 3rd, 2022, it was claimed a blister pack of tablets was prepared at Meaghers Pharmacy, Castletymon Park Shopping Centre, Tymon Road, Tallaght for dispatch to Ms Corcoran, but that an incorrect pack, meant for someone else, was sent instead..
It was claimed there was an alleged failure to exercise the appropriate level of care, skill and diligence that Ms Corcoran was entitled to expect in relation to the prescription medication being sent to her home.
It was also claimed there was a failure to haveany adequate system of checks and safeguards in place to ensure that prescriptions and medication dispensed were checked and rechecked..
The case contended there was a failure to contact Ms Corcoran urgently, or at all, to ensure she did not consume the medication when they ought to have known the significant risks it posed for her.
At Ms Corcoran’s inquest in March, 2024, her sister Ms Reilly described finding her on the ground beside her bed in an unresponsive state and “frothing from her mouth”.
At the inquest, a representative of Meaghers Pharmacy Group offered the company’s “most heartfelt condolences” to Ms Corcoran’s family.
She said the pharmacy only became aware the wrong medication had been given to Ms Corcoran after it had been contacted by a nurse following her admission to hospital.
The Coroner’s Court also heard that storage at the nine Meaghers Pharmacy outlets was subsequently rearranged, with labels on all prescription bags now double checked by two staff members including a pharmacist. A verdict of death by misadventure was returned.
