Serious safety concerns in maternity wards

STAFF shortages combined with an increase in births and poor infrastructure has led to “serious concerns” for the safety of mothers and babies in three of the country’s maternity hospitals.

The Coombe, Holles Street and the Rotunda hospitals in Dublin have sent an “emergency submission” to the Health Service Executive (HSE) outlining problems they believe are compromising patient safety.

Details of the letter are revealed as the country’s largest maternity hospital, the Coombe, published its annual report for 2006, showing that surgeons are being forced to carry out emergency operations two at a time because of staff shortages.

Ireland has the lowest rate of obstetricians in the developed world with just 100 employed in the health service. With 64,000 babies born here last year, this leaves one obstetrician per 6,400 births.

The HSE has now agreed to give “special dispensation” to maternity hospitals from the recruitment freeze that has been causing problems in the health service in recent months.

Master of the Coombe Dr Chris Fitzpatrick said his hospital urgently needs to recruit around 50 midwives and additional medical staff.

“Many of our medical staff, particularly our junior medical staff are undertaking clerical and administrative duties,” he said.

Dr Fitzpatrick said safety is also being compromised by the structure of the hospital buildings.

“We need a new hospital and we need a 21st century hospital to meet the increasing demand in terms of the numbers that are coming through,” he said.

The CSO projects an increase in births in the greater Dublin area from 24,000 in 2001 to 26,000 in 2020. The HSE has recently commissioned a review of maternity hospitals in the region, which is being conducted by independent consultants KPMG.

“We have been in consultation with the HSE with regard to our concerns, and they have prioritised safety in the maternity services as a considerable issue,” said Dr Fitzpatrick.