Portlaoise report: 'We spent years terrified at the concept of having another child'

Update 5.30pm: The mother of a baby boy who died shortly after being born at the Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise says she spent years terrified of having another baby.

Shauna Keyes - Joshua's Mum, says the whole experience was horrific. She said: "We went back to the hospital a couple of months later (for meetings, and) left confused, blaming each other.

"We spent years terrified at the concept of getting pregnant and having another child."

Update 4.40pm:The CEO of the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group Dr Susan O’Reilly said: "It has to be a comprehensive apology for everything Shauna (Keyes) may have felt was not answered originally and I sincerely hope that she is now comfortable the current report has reviewed all of the elements of (baby) Joshua and Shauna's experience."

Earlier:

A report into the death of a baby at the Midlands Regional Hospital in Portlaoise has found "significant failings" in the care provided to him and his mother.

Baby Joshua Keyes died shortly after he was born at the hospital on October 28, 2009.

The report by the HSE into the death of Baby Joshua has raised a number of concerns.

They centre on the interpretation of the foetal heart rate monitor, the CTG, the absence of foetal blood sampling at the hospital, the delay in delivery, and the care and support provided to his parents Shauna Keyes and Joseph Cornally following his death.

Shauna Keyes

The report makes 23 recommendations, which have been implemented in the maternity services in Portlaoise Hospital, according to the HSE.

The HSE has apologised for the failings and the distress caused by the prolonged nature of the process which led to the review.

"The HSE and the Midland Regional Hospital at Portlaoise would like to reiterate its unreserved apology to Shauna and Joseph for the failings that resulted in the death of baby Joshua and for the levels of distress caused as a consequence of the prolonged nature of the process which led to the conduct of this review," the HSE stated.

Reviews such as this are not typically published, however this report has been published at the request of and with the prior consent of the parents.

The HSE statement added: "Many families have been affected by adverse outcomes in our maternity services over the past number of years.

"The HSE deeply regrets the distress and anguish caused to these families for its failure to respond in a timely and empathetic way to these issues.

"It is Shauna and Joseph’s expressed wish that the publication of Baby Joshua’s report will assist in ensuring that recommendations will be implemented nationally, and most importantly to prevent unnecessary suffering, injury and loss of life."

The HSE said that a National Implementation Group has also been established "to drive the action plan agreed arising from the Chief Medical Officer, HIQA and HSE reviews relating to Portlaoise".

"The Plan sets out clear milestones, timelines and accountable persons for delivering on the actions.

"These combined actions are intended to strengthen the delivery and oversight of Irish maternity services."