Raychel Ferguson who died in Belfast hospital in 2001 aged nine after being transferred from Altnagelvin hospital
SINN Féin Councillor and local health spokesperson Patricia Logue is to bring a motion to this Thursday’s meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council in support of implementing ‘Raychel’s Law’.
The motion calls for a new statutory Duty of Candour to be imposed on healthcare professionals and follows the devastating findings of the Hyponatraemia Inquiry by Mr Justice O’Hara which severely criticised health authorities over the deaths of five children.
The law would be named in honour of local girl Raychel Ferguson who died in Belfast’s Royal Victoria Hospital on June 10, 2001 at the age of nine.
Councillor Logue said: “I felt it was very important to bring this motion to the council in support of the Ferguson family in their campaign for a new statutory Duty of Candour to be called Raychel’s Law in memory of their young daughter.
“The motion calls for the council to send condolences and solidarity to the families of Raychel Ferguson, Conor Mitchell, Claire Roberts, Adam Strain and Lucy Crawford following the publication of the report of the Inquiry into Hyponatraemia-related Deaths
“It would also firmly commit the Council to supporting Raychel’s Law – the demand for a Statutory Duty of Candour in honour of those children who have died.
“The Hyponatraemia Inquiry was scathing in its criticism of the failings which led to the needless deaths of young children and of how their families were treated in the aftermath.
“Every possible step must be taken to prevent a repeat of that tragedy and I hope I get full cross party support for this motion when it comes before the council at Thursdays monthly meeting,” added Cllr Logue.