Northern Ireland

Coroner confident of inquest in new year into death after obesity-linked surgery

Derry woman Amanda Curran died following surgery at Altnagelvin Hospital in May 2015
Derry woman Amanda Curran died following surgery at Altnagelvin Hospital in May 2015 Derry woman Amanda Curran died following surgery at Altnagelvin Hospital in May 2015

AN inquest into the death of a woman following surgery for an obesity-linked condition is set to go ahead in the new year.

Amanda Curran (34), of Glenvale Park in Derry, died in May 2015 at Altnagelvin Hospital after surgery carried out on her gallbladder.

She suffered a blockage in a lung artery after developing deep vein thrombosis.

At a hearing in Belfast on Tuesday, relatives were told that hospital notes and records were being sent from the headquarters of the Western Health and Social Care Trust to be made available to Coroner Joseph McCrisken.

The preliminary hearing was also told that a Serious Adverse Incident (SAI) report into Ms Curran’s death was to be completed within a fortnight.

Mr McCrisken said the court would await the “light it sheds” on issues highlighted in a Serious Event Audit – an initial investigation carried out by health trusts to quickly establish what has happened during incidents.

“That would place us in a better position to think about a witness list,” the coroner said.

Mr McCrisken said the full inquest would likely be held in February, adding: "I'm confident we can move this forward quite quickly."