Parents warned on hospitals’ lack of paediatric cover

SERIOUSLY ILL children who need emergency care, and women in labour, should not be sent to many of the country’s general hospitals, a report has warned.

Parents should be aware that the general hospitals at Navan, Dundalk, Monaghan, Naas, Nenagh, Mallow, Bantry, Ennis, Roscommon, Tullamore and Cashel don’t have paediatric cover, it says.

There was outrage in late 2002 when newborn, Bronagh Livingstone died en route to Cavan General Hospital. Her mother had been turned away from Monaghan General Hospital due to its lack of maternity cover and she was forced to give birth on the side of the road.