HSE blames cyberattack for further delays to national maternity strategy plan

Carol Mulligan with her baby daughter, Nora, and Krysia Lynch, AIMS Ireland, protesting recently about the restrictions imposed on the partners of pregnant women in Irish maternity units. Picture: Colin Keegan

An implementation plan for the National Maternity Strategy has been delayed again, with the HSE blaming the cyberattack for the latest delays.

The updated plan was due for completion last September according to Kilian McGrane at the National Women and Infants Health Programme (NWIHP). This was then delayed by the renewed waves of Covid-19 infections to “Quarter 2 2021”.

HSE announces further delay

However, this week the HSE said: “The revised implementation plan has been delayed due to the recent cyberattack. It is now expected that the plan will be finalised before the end of July.”  In addition, it is not yet clear when the document will be available to the public.

The HSE spokesperson said that, when it is finalised, “it will be submitted to the HSE executive management team before publication". 

A motion calling for the implementation of the strategy was introduced in the Dáil on June 1 by Independent TD Catherine Connolly. She was supported by Cork South-West Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns.

Social Democrats TD Holly Cairns raised concerns about the lack of an implementation plan for the National Maternity Strategy. Picture:Gareth Chaney/Collins

Ms Cairns said: “The Dáil passed a motion last month calling for the publication of the implementation plan which is properly resourced. This cannot happen soon enough.” 

A number of issues need to be urgently addressed including midwifery shortages, she said: 

Last year’s Hiqa report into maternity services outlined how midwifery staff are working overtime to address staffing deficits and maintain service levels. 

Ms Cairns also raised concerns about the relegation of the maternity services.

“The lack of an implementation plan for the National Maternity Strategy is a further indication of this area being overlooked,” she said.

“Pregnant women and people do not have a lobby group — too often their needs are overlooked.” 

Ms Cairns also said families’ concerns around visiting restrictions in maternity hospitals have still not been dealt with fully.

Krysia Lynch, chairperson of the Association to Improve Maternity Services in Ireland, urged the NWIHP to end 'delaying tactics and excuses' and put in place a person-centred maternity service.  

Krysia Lynch, the chair of maternity advocacy group AIMS Ireland, said: "We urge the National Women and Infants Health Programme to stop offering delaying tactics and excuses and ensure that the nation has a maternity service that genuinely puts the needs of birthing people at the forefront of care and is fit for purpose."  

Ms Lynch said the updated strategy is urgently needed as it pledges to offer “a maternity service that is person-centered and focused on their needs”.

AIMS Ireland have campaigned for the ending of restrictions on birth partners attending maternity hospitals put in place during the pandemic.

'Inhumane, arbitrary restrictions' 

She said: “The inhumane, arbitrary restrictions that were imposed on birthing people, and which continue to be imposed indicate that the need for women-centered care and person-centered care is more pressing than ever.” 

The plan will lay out how the 19 maternity units have adapted to the strategy, and show where they need further supports.

During 2020, many NWIHP staff were redeployed to Covid work, including contact tracing. Visiting hospitals to assess progress was challenging.

However, until the cyberattack hit, it had seemed progress was being made. Before the attack, a HSE spokeswoman told the Irish Examiner that no additional team members were redeployed during the third wave of infections.