The Health Service Executive has apologised to the family of a 19-year-old woman who died from a brain haemorrhage after a delay in arranging a CT scan.
Lisa Niland had arrived by ambulance to Sligo University Hospital having suffered a sudden, severe headache and vomiting while at a fast food restaurant three years ago.
Her family's lawyers said she had the "classic symptoms of a brain haemorrhage", but a CT scan was not carried out until the following day.
Medical staff had also wrongly pointed to alcohol consumption, despite the fact that she had not been drinking that night.
A serious incident review carried out by the HSE found there was a failure to carry out a CT scan on time and a failure to recognise the deterioration in her condition overnight on 17 January 2017.
The family's lawyers said Ms Niland's life could have been saved if a CT scan had been carried out sooner.
They said part of the reason for not ordering an emergency scan was because calling a radiographer in during the night would affect staffing levels the following day.
Ms Niland had gone to a fast-food restaurant for a milkshake when she developed a severe headache, dizziness and vomiting.
She was fully alert but in pain when treated at the emergency department and later on a ward.
However, her condition worsened overnight and a CT scan carried out the following morning showed she had suffered a brain haemorrhage.
As medical staff were informing her family about her condition she suffered a cardiac arrest and had to be resuscitated.
She was eventually transferred by helicopter to Beaumont Hospital in Dublin where surgery was performed to relieve pressure on her brain, but she never recovered and died on 20 January 2017.
Her parents and sister settled their case for nervous shock arising from the death of Lisa.
The case went to mediation last week and as part of the settlement an apology was issued. The details of the settlement were not disclosed.
At the High Court today an apology from the hospital and the HSE to Lisa Niland's parents, Gerry and Angela from Drimbane, Curry, Co Sligo, was read in court.
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It offered a "sincere apology that the care provided did not reach the expected standard".
It also acknowledged that the experience had been "devastating" and had a profound and lasting effect on the Niland family.
Outside court, family solicitor Damian Tansey said it was an unspeakable tragedy and the family was broken by the death of Lisa.
The fact that they now know she could have been saved had "rubbed salt in the wounds".
Mr Tansey said if the hospital's own procedures had been followed on the night she would have been saved.
He described Ms Niland as the "pride and joy" of the family and a gifted student.
The Serious Incident Review carried out by the HSE recommended that the practice of only allowing consultant to consultant requests for out-of-hours CT scans be reviewed.
It also recommended that staff receive targeted training in the assessment of patients with neurological deficits and explore the introduction of what is known as Early Warning Scoring to emergency departments within the hospital group.
It also recommended compliance with established handover practices and strict adherence to medication-prescribing guidance.
