Hospital damned in baby deaths report

A Midlands hospital where four newborns died in similar circumstances over a number of years has lost control of its maternity services after a damning report found it was neither safe nor sustainable.

Yesterday, the HSE took the unprecedented step of installing an interim management team at Portlaoise Midland Regional Hospital while arrangements are made to effectively bring its maternity services under the control of Dublin’s Coombe Hospital.

The ramifications of the report’s findings are not confined to Portlaoise.

The HSE has been directed by James Reilly, the health minister, to examine maternity services of similar size around the country with a view to placing them under the supervision of larger maternity hospitals.

An emotional Dr Reilly, who said he found the report distressing, said yesterday was a watershed moment in the Irish health service and would result in a change in patient safety.

The report made damning findings in relation to the deaths of babies Katelyn Keenan, Joshua Keyes-Cornally, Mark Molloy, and Nathan Molyneaux at Portlaoise. Hiqa has been tasked by the minister to immediately investigate the hospital’s maternity services.

The HSE has also been tasked with a “swift analysis” of midwifery workforce planning.

The parents of one of the babies who died at the Midlands hospital said it was unfortunate it had taken so long for action to be taken.

Roisín and Mark Molloy had their fifth child, Mark, in the hospital’s maternity unit in January 2012. He died soon after being born due to lack of oxygen.

Mr Molloy said the family had been highlighting issues about the maternity services at the most senior level in the HSE since 2012.

“Be it through incompetence, arrogance, I don’t know, but they decided to ignore the facts that babies were dying and we were highlighting these concerns to them,” he said.

Shauna Keyes, who lost her son, Joshua, in 2009 in similar circumstances, said there had never been an investigation into how her son died but she now had an assurance from the HSE that such an investigation would start next week.

“At that point I will finally have answers from the HSE. It has been a very frustrating four years; all you are meeting are walls, barriers and lies.”

The author of the report, Department of Health chief medical officer Dr Tony Holohan, confirmed that the death of another baby in Portlaoise is currently being investigated. The death occurred subsequent to the death of baby Mark Molloy.

The hospital’s clinical director, John Connaughton, issued a statement saying the hospital apologised unreservedly for the unacceptable communication with the bereaved families.

Asked why the parents were not told at the time why their babies had died, he said investigations had begun but did not proceed at the rate they should have.

Tony O’Brien, director general of the HSE, has written to all health services staff on the importance of honestly communicating with patients and families.