Audit of maternity facilities required – Burke

Fine Gael Cork North Central Senator and the Party’s Seanad Spokesperson on Health, Colm Burke, has today (Thursday) called on the HSE to review all small maternity units across the country, on view of the evidence given by Dr Peter Boylan, former master of the National Maternity Hospital,  at the inquest into the death of Ms Dhara Kivlehan.

“At the recent inquest into the very sad and untimely death of Ms Dhara Kivlehan, Dr Peter Boylan cited an ‘insufficient number of obstetric consultants in Sligo Hospital as material contributors to Ms Kivlehans death’.

“This is a matter of serious concen. There are 19 maternity units in the country, and up until recently at least twelve of those units had only three consultants. In each of these units, the consultants are working on a one in three rota, working each week day, every third night and every third weekend.

“Each weekend there is only one consultant on call from five o’clock on Friday evening right through to nine o’clock on Monday morning. While units across the country are well able to manage the care of patients for a normal delivery, difficulties can easily arise in the management where complications arise. Over a long number of years consultants have relied on the back up support of experienced registrars and Senior House Officers.

“In the last four to five years there are fewer experienced registrars available in the smaller maternity units. This year many of the units are relying on agency doctors. While the agency doctors are competent and have the necessary skills, there is a question mark over the continuity of care. This is causing severe strain on midwives and the full time medical staff employed by the HSE.

“In 2003, the Hanly Report identified that the number of Consultant Obstetricians in Maternity Hospitals was 93. The report made a recommendation that by 2013, there should be 191 consultants employed between all the Maternity Hospitals. Currently there are only 130 full time consultants employed between the 19 maternity hospitals.

“It is important that when mistakes are made and in this case we must remember that a death occurred, that the evidence of an expert witness is taken seriously. I am therefore calling on the HSE to take on board the evidence of Dr Peter Boylan and to immediately take action so as to reduce the risk of further fatality.”