CUMH ‘aims’ to see women by 14 weeks

THE HSE has said it “aims” to see women in Cork during the first 12-14 weeks of their pregnancy, despite long-term claims of severe overcrowding at the county’s multi-million euro maternity hospital.

In recent days it has emerged that women being seen in Dublin’s three maternity hospitals are being told to wait until the late stages of their pregnancy before getting an appointment with an obstetrician.

In one case a woman who was three months pregnant when she sought a public appointment was told the first available time for a consultation was when she was seven and a half months into her pregnancy.

The situation has caused concern across the maternity hospital sector, with Patients Together spokeswoman Janette Byrne stating she has received a series of calls from concerned pregnant women over the matter.

A spokesperson for the HSE South said there was no issue at the multi-million euro Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH).

However, while the spokesperson said the HSE “aims” to see pregnant women within the recommended 12-14 week period, she added that this was dependent on women “pre-booking” their appointments.

“Cork University Hospital Maternity Services aim to see patients at the 12-14 week stage of their pregnancy.

“Where a patient is late booking they are seen within two weeks and earlier if late in pregnancy or if there are risk factors,” the HSE statement explained.

“In addition, the maternity services have a pre-booking system in place in order to facilitate women being reviewed by a midwife before the 12-week stage.

“If all is normal the woman is issued a date to be reviewed by the consultant at 18-20 weeks,” the spokesperson added.

Since the state-of-the-art €75 million maternity hospital on the grounds of CUH replaced existing services at St Finbarr’s, Erinville and the Bon Secours private hospital in late 2007, it has been at the centre of claims that staff and services are over-run.

In particular, midwifery and nursing representatives have raised concerns that the new hospital is struggling to cope the number of pregnant women attending, with 2,000 more births than planned expected to be seen at the hospital this year.

Speaking after the initial revelations concerning Dublin maternity hospital waits earlier this week, Dr Michael Robson, Master of the National Maternity Hospital, said “all the maternity hospitals” have seen an increase in pregnancies and births.