‘Maternity services set for more scandals’

Services at maternity hospitals are set to be hit by further scandals because the sector is so under-staffed it would need 550 extra midwives just to reach international best practice guidelines.

The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation made the claim last night in response to revelations that at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital in Drogheda between May 2012 and July last year, 21 babies in the breech position went undiagnosed until after the onset of labour.

Speaking to the Irish Examiner in the wake of the latest maternity service difficulties — which follow the Portiuncula, Portlaoise, Sligo General, Savita Halappanavar and foetal heart beat crises, all of which have occurred since 2011 — INMO general secretary Liam Doran said the problems are directly linked to chronic under-staffing and lack of investment.