Quick Read
- A Cork GP, Dr. Joyce Leader, has been found guilty of poor professional performance in the death of 10-year-old Vivienne Murphy.
- Vivienne Murphy died in March 2019 from an invasive Group A Strep infection, which is treatable if diagnosed promptly.
- Dr. Leader admitted to failing to conduct an urgent in-person examination and not referring Vivienne immediately to an emergency department during a critical phone consultation.
- Vivienne’s parents eventually brought her to Cork University Hospital themselves, where she was diagnosed with sepsis.
- An inquest in March 2023 recorded a verdict of death due to medical misadventure.
CORK (Azat TV) – A Cork general practitioner is set to face sanctions after a medical fitness-to-practise inquiry concluded on Wednesday, finding her guilty of poor professional performance in connection with the tragic death of 10-year-old Vivienne Murphy. The young girl from Millstreet, Co Cork, died in March 2019 from a treatable invasive Group A Strep infection, known colloquially as “flesh-eating disease,” after her critical condition was not adequately recognized or addressed.
Dr. Joyce Leader appeared before a fitness-to-practise inquiry of the Medical Council, where she admitted to three allegations of poor professional performance. These admissions centered on a phone consultation she had with Vivienne’s parents, Lilly and Dermot Murphy, on February 19, 2019, while working at an out-of-hours clinic with SouthDoc in Kanturk, Co Cork.
Vivienne Murphy’s Deteriorating Condition
Vivienne Murphy’s ordeal began two weeks prior to her death, with initial complaints of a sore throat, high temperature, and a rash, alongside general aches and pains. Her condition deteriorated significantly by February 19, 2019. Her parents informed Dr. Leader that Vivienne had been feverish for five to six days, could no longer bear weight, and was experiencing severe pain in her leg and hip. They also conveyed that their daughter was in too much pain to be transported by car to the SouthDoc surgery.
Despite these alarming symptoms, Dr. Leader admitted to failing to conduct an urgent in-person clinical examination. Furthermore, she acknowledged that she did not immediately refer Vivienne to a hospital emergency department, even though she had considered septic arthritis as a possible diagnosis. The GP also conceded that she failed to express sufficient urgency to the parents regarding the critical need to bring their daughter directly to Cork University Hospital (CUH).
Prior Consultations and Missed Opportunities
The inquiry heard that Dr. Leader had also seen Vivienne in person five days earlier, on February 14, 2019, at her clinic. At that time, Vivienne was recorded as “shivering, miserable with blanching rash,” and was screaming every time she moved her head. Her body was covered in a red rash, and she had a temperature of 39ºC. Dr. Leader diagnosed a viral infection and recommended over-the-counter medications and inhalers.
Vivienne was subsequently seen by a different SouthDoc GP on February 16, 2019, and her own family doctor two days later, both of whom also believed she had a viral infection. Dr. Leader admitted she was “comforted” by the fact that two other doctors had reached the same diagnosis. However, Vivienne’s parents remained concerned and contacted SouthDoc again on February 19, leading to the crucial phone consultation with Dr. Leader.
Parents’ Dire Decision and Tragic Outcome
Feeling that something was seriously wrong despite the repeated viral diagnoses, Vivienne’s parents made the difficult decision to bring her to CUH themselves in the early hours of February 20, 2019. Upon arrival, Vivienne was diagnosed with sepsis, and her blood test results revealed her critically ill state. Her condition worsened rapidly, leading to septic shock and an urgent transfer to Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street in Dublin, as CUH lacked a pediatric intensive care unit.
Vivienne underwent immediate surgery that evening to remove large areas of her lower abdomen, groin, and leg due to necrotising fasciitis. However, she suffered organ failure and went into cardiac arrest the following day. Her family was later informed of irreversible brain damage, and the heartbreaking decision was made to switch off her life support on March 1, 2019.
Inquiry Findings and Future Sanctions for the Cork GP
An inquest into Vivienne’s death at Dublin District Coroner’s Court in March 2023 recorded a verdict of death due to medical misadventure. Vivienne’s parents have consistently maintained that their daughter would be alive today if doctors had identified the signs of the potentially fatal condition sooner.
Professor Susan Smith, an expert witness, concluded that Vivienne’s condition warranted at least an in-person assessment, a house visit, or immediate hospital referral by Dr. Leader. Professor Smith stated that Dr. Leader’s failure to do so represented a serious falling short of expected standards in managing a sick child, acknowledging that Vivienne’s condition was “very rare and rapidly evolving.”
The fitness-to-practise committee chairperson, Jill Long, highlighted that Vivienne’s inability to bear weight was a “significant matter” that Dr. Leader should have taken into account. The inquiry has been adjourned until Thursday, February 5, 2026, when submissions on the appropriate sanction for Dr. Leader will be heard.
The findings against Dr. Joyce Leader underscore the critical importance of vigilance and timely intervention in pediatric care, particularly when faced with rapidly evolving and potentially life-threatening conditions like invasive Group A Strep, even when initial symptoms may mimic common viral infections.