'Previous reviews of care at Portiuncula did not deliver change' – AIMS Ireland

Association for Improvements to Maternity Services Ireland (AIMS) chairwoman Krysia Lynch. Picture: Moya Nolan

The need to conduct reviews into the care of nine babies at a Galway maternity unit raises questions about the impact of previous reviews there into similar concerns, the Association for Improvements in Maternity Services (AIMS) Ireland has said.

The HSE says individual reviews into care of nine babies are running at Portiuncula University Hospital’s maternity unit. It is understood the hospital will look for any common issues arising from the separate findings.

A new external management team was also sent to the unit on Monday.

The cases include seven babies who developed hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) last year and this month. Six of them were sent for specialist emergency treatment. This condition, caused by a shortage of oxygen or blood to the brain, can lead to cerebral palsy and in severe cases to death.

This many incidences in one year is “significantly higher” than expected for a hospital this size, the HSE said.

Krysia Lynch, spokeswoman for AIMS Ireland (the Association for Improvements in Maternity Services) said this is not the first time external reviews of similar cases were needed at Portiuncula.

In 2018, a report identified failures in care having examined 18 cases including deaths. It noted an “unexpected” cluster of HIE cases in 2014 and made 154 recommendations. Dr Lynch said: 

The question is why are all these reviews happening and no change. If you look at the data, there hasn’t been the changes expected. 

"We knew in 2015 there was an issue, and that was confirmed in that 2018 report.

“We are talking about issues in that unit for the last 10 years. So with respect to the reviews, what are they worth to families?

“If you are doing a review and the culture continues the same and then there is another review relating to a similar issue, then has the review been successful?”

She also noted the new management team was described by the HSE as “highly experienced”.

This begs the question, she said, as to the experience of the team until now: “How were they appointed and why we had to wait for babies to die and be severely injured before their practices were reviewed and audited.” She added:  

It is a very sad situation for the families involved.

She added this is also a difficult time for maternity staff there.

Tony Canavan, regional executive officer of HSE West and North West, said recommendations in previous reviews were acted upon. These included, he told RTÉ, improved communications in clinical teams, better reporting and training.

“We know this is a distressing time for women whose care is under review and we apologise for any added distress that this news brings,” he said, adding support is being provided to families.

Most of the reviews are expected to conclude in February.