Maternity department may close

MANAGEMENT at one of the country’s main private hospitals confirmed last night that talks are underway about the possible closure of their maternity service as part of a centralisation of obstetric services in Cork city.

The Bon Secours hospital’s owners, the Bon Secours Health System, is in talks with the Department of Health about the possible transfer of their maternity services from the College Road-based hospital to the new regional obstetrics unit being built at Cork University Hospital (CUH).

“Following a request from the Department of Health, the Bon Secours have agreed to explore with the Southern Health Board the possibility of a single centralised obstetrics service for Cork,” a spokesman for the group said yesterday.

“It is far too early in the process to speculate on the outcome of the discussions at this stage,” he said.

The Bon Secours group is seeking guarantees about the future employment of staff under any transfer arrangements. No final agreement on a possible transfer of services has been reached.

Any transfer of its maternity service will not affect the hospital’s other services.

The Bons’ maternity service is one of only two private maternity services of its kind in the country. It assists in the birth of about 2,000 babies a year.