Midwives to highlight maternity staff fears

HOPES of a breakthrough in the midwives row threatening the opening of a €75 million maternity hospital were dashed last night.

Following days of intensive talks, health managers yesterday refused to agree midwife staffing levels for the new Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) with the Irish Nurses’ Organisation (INO).

The INO said it had been prepared to call off a public meeting on the issue. But following the HSE response, INO officer Patsy Doyle said the meeting will now go ahead tonight.

“The Health Service Executive (HSE) is engaging in a hard-ball approach. They seem intent on creating fear on the streets of Cork around this issue,” she said.

Union officials will tell people at the meeting tonight why they are threatening to boycott CUMH which is due to open at noon on March 24.

The Labour Relations Commission is also due to hear from both sides on February 21.

Meanwhile, senior HSE officials issued an invitation yesterday to members of the media to tour the new hospital this morning.

It will be lead by Tony McNamara, the general manager of the CUH group, Kay O’Sullivan, the assistant director of Midwifery in the city’s new Unified Maternity Services, Nora Geary, CUMH’s commissioning and hospital manager and Barry O’Brien, the assistant national director of human resources for the HSE South.

The HSE restated its position yesterday that CUMH will open as planned at 12 noon on March 24.

Operations at the HSE-managed St Finbarr’s Hospital and the Erinville Hospital, and at the private Bon Secours maternity unit, will transfer to CUMH on that date.

Notices announcing the move have been erected outside St Finbarr’s and the Erinville.

Tonight’s INO meeting will take place at the Kingsley Hotel on the Carrigrohane Road at 8.30pm. Members of the public and public representatives are invited to attend.

CUMH will be the only maternity hospital within an 80-mile radius of Cork. More than 8,000 deliveries are expected in the first year.