The HSE says it has no plans to close maternity services in the west of Ireland, despite fresh rumours of a threat to the unit at Portiuncula Hospital in Ballinasloe. Senior officials met staff at Portiuncula last Friday as part of a review of maternity services in the west and northwest, prompting fears in the town that the maternity unit might be closed.
Colm Keaveney, Fianna Fáil TD for Galway East, said the speculation was causing considerable distress to expectant mothers attending the hospital. He called on Minister for Health James Reilly to intervene by clarifying the status of maternity services in Ballinasloe.
“Portiuncula Hospital has a busy maternity unit with a strong reputation for its excellent standard of care. Many mothers choose to attend this facility rather than go to one of the larger acute hospitals to have their babies. Any attempt to shut down this service and force mothers to move to University Hospital Galway must be avoided at all costs.”
However, Tony Canavan, the chief operating officer of the West/North West Hospitals Group, said no decision about the reconfiguration of services had been recommended to or approved by the board or senior management of the group, nor were there any plans to close maternity services.
“Feasibility studies have not even been carried out, and speculation at this early stage in the process is unhelpful and upsetting for patients and staff.”
Maternity services nationwide are being reviewed in the aftermath of reports into the death in 2012 of Savita Halappanavar at University Hospital Galway. Speculation has focused on the future of smaller maternity units around the State. Mr Canavan said the meeting with Portiuncula staff saw discussion of “different service models, including midwife-led units co-located with existing obstetric units”.
A new director of midwifery services, Dawn Johnston, will be responsible for consulting with the public to determine how much support exists for midwifery-led care and will also look at pathways of care across the hospital group.
Ms Johnston, who takes up her duties next month, is originally from Dublin, and trained as a nurse at Sir Patrick Dun’s hospital.
She qualified as a midwife in England and has held senior positions in the NHS, most recently as director of nursing, midwifery and governance at Bart’s Health hospital group in London.
Mr Canavan said the review of maternity services for the West/North West Hospitals Group would be considered as part of the broader national review of services led by the Department of Health, with input from the HSE.
