Antenatal care for women with higher-risk pregnancies is being moved from Portiuncula University Hospital in Ballinasloe, Co Galway.
This decision follows several external reviews into the care provided to women and their babies at the hospital.
Five reviews have been completed and shared with families, while seven more are underway or about to commence.
The reviews highlight concerns in four key areas: communication, governance, clinical care, leadership, clinical governance, and infrastructure.
The Health Service Executive (HSE) has announced that care for women with high-risk pregnancies will be transferred to Galway University Hospital (GUH).
The HSE stated: “Considering the safety issues highlighted in these reviews, this implementation team will expand this to other groups of higher-risk women whose care will be transferred to GUH or the hospital of their choice.”
Factors contributing to higher-risk pregnancies include: previous baby loss, a history of significant medical disease, a history of massive obstetric hemorrhage, obesity, and advanced maternal age.
Women likely to deliver before 35 weeks of pregnancy will also have their care moved.
An implementation team comprised of key stakeholders is being established to further the implementation of the review recommendations and any further changes needed in the coming months.
Dr. Pat Nash, regional clinical director at HSE West and North West, stated that work on the recommendations is ongoing.
“We are fully committed to implementing the recommendations laid out in the five reviews and will take all steps necessary to ensure we are providing the best care possible to the women and babies receiving care at our hospital,” he said.
“Much of this work is well advanced through the work of the external management team and Women’s & Children’s Network.” Tony Canavan, regional executive officer at HSE West and North West, emphasized that their focus remains on the safety and wellbeing of mothers and babies.
“The management team appointed in January to oversee and manage maternity services in Portiuncula University Hospital remains in place and are working on a programme of improvements, many of which relate to the recommendations,” he said.
“Our focus remains on ensuring the safety and wellbeing of women and their babies.” Dr. Cliona Murphy, of the National Women’s and Infants Programme, commented: “The National Women and Infants Health Programme welcome the publication of the five reviews today.
“We note that some of the commentary in the summary Report relates to the challenges that are faced by the regional maternity services.
“Currently all maternity services are managed through maternity networks, and the specific issues raised in the summary of the five reviews will form part of the considerations for the successor to the National Maternity Strategy, which is set out in the Programme for Government.”
