HSE commissioned external reviews into two stillbirths at MUH 

External reviews have been commissioned into two stillbirths at Mayo University Hospital (MUH) in 2023. These are on top of a major review at Galway’s Portiuncula University Hospital, which — like MUH — is also run by the Saolta University Healthcare Group. File picture

The HSE has commissioned reviews into stillbirths at another hospital run by a healthcare group already at the centre of a major baby safety probe.

The Irish Examiner has learned external reviews have been commissioned into two stillbirths at Mayo University Hospital (MUH) in 2023.

These are on top of a major review at Galway’s Portiuncula University Hospital, which — like MUH — is also run by the Saolta University Healthcare Group.

As well as commissioning external reviews at the Mayo hospital, the HSE also conducted additional internal reviews into another five stillbirths there in 2023.

This was, in part, because all five occurred in the last three months of that year.

Although the HSE has told the Irish Examiner that no “commonalities” among cases reviewed have been found, there are now calls for an independent external review.

A member of the HSE’s Regional Health Forum West said the number of stillbirths in MUH is “troubling”.

Mayo county councillor Michael Kilcoyne said: “That external reviews have been commissioned into stillbirths at yet another Saolta hospital should be a red flag to anybody concerned about what is going on.

“We need a team from outside Ireland, and independent of the HSE, to tell us what is going on.

The HSE may well say there were no ‘commonalities' but what ones did they look for? They need to make this information public.

The MUH reviews were launched around the same time as a review into nine cases was launched at Portiuncula University Hospital (PUH) in Galway, which is one of seven hospitals in the Saolta group.

These were launched because of an above-normal level of babies being referred for cooling therapy, used to treat brain damage due to a lack of oxygen just before or after birth.

The Portiuncula cases involve two stillbirths in 2023, six births in 2024, and one earlier this year.

On the MUH reviews that have now come to light, it is not known what the outcome was of the two external reviews, or whether or not they are still ongoing.

The HSE was asked whether or not MUH usually gets a cluster of stillbirths in such a small space of time, like between October and December, as happened in 2023.

The HSE was also asked to what extent are the numbers of stillbirths up or down on the previous years.

The HSE said in reply: “There were seven stillbirths in Mayo University Hospital in 2023. Five of these occurred in the last three months of the year.

“All seven underwent local preliminary review (and), two met the definition for serious reportable events.

“Full external reviews were commissioned on these cases. There were no indications of commonalities in these cases.” 

According to the online monthly Maternity Patient Safety Statements made by MUH to the HSE in 2023, there were nine "Major Obstetric Events" in the Castlebar hospital in September that year.

It is not publicly known what happened or why September was the only month that they were recorded.

While such events are usually considered to be rare, they are - according to the HSE - all “potentially life-threatening events” that could occur within maternity services.

Mr Kilcoyne said: “The statement the HSE gave references seven stillbirths but that is not reflected on the Patient Safety Statements for 2023. They are supposed to give as full a picture of what is going on across a whole range of metrics, and deaths is one of them. 

I am calling on the HSE to please appoint an expert who is based outside this jurisdiction and independent to the HSE who can do a speedy review of what has happened here. 

The HSE was asked for the outcome of the two external reviews in Mayo and to state if the reviews are ongoing.

The HSE was also asked why there were nine Major Obstetric Events listed for September 2023, and none for any other month.

The HSE has not provided further details on the two external reviews.

The Department of Health was asked if Minister of Health Jennifer Carroll MacNeill was aware of the 2023 stillbirths in MUH, and if she was satisfied with any conclusions of reviews so far.

A spokesperson said: "When patient safety incidents or concerns are identified by the HSE, these are notified to the National Patient Safety Office in the Department and the Minister is informed."

Although the department did not explain the anomaly around the data for MUH in 2023, the spokesperson said: "The HSE’s National Women and Infants’ Health Programme have not identified any specific concerns around the infant mortality rate in Mayo University Hospital (MUH)."