Limerick maternity hospital clinic midwife being moved to fill roster gaps elsewhere in hospital

Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation protested about staff shortages at University Maternity Hospital Limerick last month. Picture: Brendan Gleeson

A specialist clinic in Limerick maternity hospital is losing its midwife lead temporarily due to staff shortages, prompting calls for the service to be protected instead.

The midwifery-led VBAC clinic is for women who want a vaginal birth after having a Caesarean-section before. 

Up to now, it was staffed by a specialist advanced practitioner midwife working with a consultant obstetrician.

However the Irish Examiner understands the midwife is being re-deployed to fill gaps in rosters elsewhere in the short-term at the hospital. 

This comes just days after the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation protested about staff shortages at University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL).

It means while women can continue to access the clinic, they will all come under an obstetrician, despite signing up for midwifery care.

These clinics are part of the HSE’s national system offering a supported pathway to women after assessment. 

Labour TD Conor Sheehan highlighted widespread concerns the clinic was closing.

“We know that the rate of Caesarean section at UMHL is above the national average,” he said.

“The VBAC clinic provides women with greater choice and continuity of care about their pregnancy and birth.” 

He pointed out staff at the hospital were forced to take industrial action because of unsafe staffing levels.

“That should be a wake-up call for Government. Essential maternity services such as the VBAC clinic must be protected.” 

Women and families across Limerick and the wider Mid-West deserve access to the same standard of maternity care available elsewhere in the country.

He called on health minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill to get involved, saying: “Immediate action is needed to restore this service and provide reassurance to every woman affected.” 

A hospital spokesman said: “We can confirm that the VBAC clinic at University Maternity Hospital Limerick is led by a consultant obstetrician and is held every Friday.

“Women attending UMHL continue to access the VBAC clinic.” 

The INMO has estimated there are between 30 and 35 frontline nursing and midwifery posts vacant at this hospital.

In relation to the VBAC clinic, a spokeswoman said on Wednesday: “It is the INMO’s understanding that the post-natal ward and maternity emergency unit were understaffed this week.

“And decisions were made to redeploy midwives from clinics and specialised services.” 

She called on the HSE to follow through on its public commitment to hire 30 more midwives for the hospital.

Last week Áine Quinn, a staff midwife working on the postnatal ward told the Irish Examiner at the protest: "Sometimes we could have 23 women and 23 babies on a ward with two or three staff midwives to look after them.

“So enough is enough, and we just want our voices heard.”

Access to options in pregnancy have been the focus of intense discussion in recent weeks. 

Frustrations have been aired at limited access to midwifery schemes such as the Domino scheme in hospitals or the HSE homebirth service. 

Women have campaigned also against phasing out of private obstetric care from hospitals.