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THE ST VINCENT’S Hospital Group will have ‘corporate oversight’ of the new National Maternity Hospital when it moves to its new campus, according to the agreement reached between the two hospitals.
The agreement reached in November between the SVHG and the current National Maternity Hospital at Holles Street has been released to the public.
The agreement between the two hospitals over the provision of the new NMH is in the form of a 25-page report by mediator Kieran Mulvey.
The hospital is to be located at Elm Park alongside St Vincent’s University Hospital on the campus owned by the SVHG.
The agreement states that the SVHG will retain a “corporate unitary oversight of all campus utilities and services”.
The report states that this oversight can be achieved providing the SVHG board with assurances that the NMH will be managed effectively, and that:
The appropriate legal, financial, regulatory and risk assessments are up to date and undertaken in accordance with statutory requirements.
This oversight will be further ensured by adding two directors nominated from the current NMH to the board of the SVHG (as well as the new maternity hospital).
“Clinical independence”
The proposed NMH has been mired in controversy since it emerged that SVHG would take ownership of the hospital.
This stems from the fact that the religious order the Sisters of Charity are the principal shareholders in the SVHG.
The agreement states that the SVHG will be the “sole owner” of the new hospital.
The hospital will be operated as a new company: The National Maternity Hospital at Elm Park DAC (limited by shares).
This ownership will be dependent on the Minister of Health holding a “Golden Share” in the hospital, which will allow its reserved powers, constitution and composition to be protected.
Current Health Minister Simon Harris, as well as the current Master of the NMH at Holles Street Dr Rhona Mahony and others have ensured the new hospital would have “clinical independence”.
This is laid out in the agreement under the heading of “reserved powers”, which ensures:
Clinical and operational independence in the provision of maternity, gynaecology, obstetrics and neonatal services (without religious, ethnic or other distinction) in the hospital at Elm Park, Dublin and the provision of medical, surgical, nursing, midwifery and other health services at Elm Park, Dublin, including strategic planning in relation to the development of such services in the future in accordance with developing best practice.
Independence will be further ensured by the retention of the role of the Mastership model at the hospital.
These “reserved powers” will be protected by the “Golden Share” which ensures they:
…shall not be capable of amendment save with the prior written and unanimous approval of all the Directors of the Board and with the consent of the Minister for Health.
Board of directors
As previously reported, the agreement lays out that the board of directors at the new hospital should be made up of nine directors.
Four will be nominated by the SVHG, four will be nominated by the current NMH, and one will be an independent international expert in Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
The report on the agreement states that the “appropriate legal mechanisms” will need to be put in place regarding the structure, objectives, role and powers of the new hospital.
There have been significant developments over the new maternity hospital since the report was first sent to Minister Harris in November.
Over 92,699 people signed an online petition calling for the Sisters of Charity to be “blocked” as sole owners of the new hospital, with protests held last week outside the Department of Health.
Following the public outcry, the SVHG board said that it would be reviewing its role in the future of the project.
The chairman of the SVHG board today released a statement ensuring that any medical procedure that is currently legal in Ireland will be carried out at the new National Maternity Hospital.
Commenting on the release of the agreement today, Harris said the boards of both hospitals would be meeting this week and would review progress to date.
He restated the assurance on clinical independence and said that he intended to report to Government on the status of the project by the end of May.
You can view the full agreement here
To be fair…it takes a bigger person to acknowledge they are not the best person for the job. Next question is…who is?
@Dramafree 2023: Hopefully, someone with balls to stand up for Ireland
@Dramafree 2023: me.
@Dramafree 2023: Very good decision for his party. Again he surprised me. Not a typical politician glued to his chair.
@Dramafree 2023: No, it just takes a man who knows his time is up. Like the other ten, he will jump ship because he recognises the impending defeat he has led his party to through the relentless pursuit of foreign agendas ahead of the interests of the Irish people.
@Dramafree 2023: I expect a narcissist of his type to move onto big EU role shortly.
@Dramafree 2023: only took him 7 years
Trying to pretend this is no big deal?…election time now needed…the resignation of Taoiseach is a big deal this government cannot continue
So, just wait now for the inevitable scandal, and real reason for running for the hills, to be revealed. I’m sure he’ll ride off into the sunset with his palms we’ll greased. Rotten to the core.
@Michael Fielding: sure if no scandal comes to pass the conspiracy theorists will make up one
@Dan Ryan: The scandal is his political career. No theories required.
Something is off with this. Looks like he was pushed. Coveney trying not to look smug. Hopefully a general election will happen, not another ‘leader’ who does not represent the wishes of the Irish people, especially one who has publicly stated that they want to double our population
@Tilal Moore:they were going to have a no confidence vote on him as leaders. Which he would have lost . So saved him self Embarrassment
@Tilal Moore: You missed out a word. “Who does not represent the wishes of “some of” the Irish people…”.
You can’t claim that ALL Irish people have the same views as yourself.
@Tilal Moore: Where did he publicly state that he wants to double our population?
@Jason Memail: That was Coveney in 2017 & in 2018 that Cork’s population would treble by 2038
@Sal Paradise: obviously no leader could represent the wishes of all Irish people. We do need someone though who will listen to the concerns of the majority on important issues like healthcare, immigration planning, carer support etc. A general election is the fairest way of allowing the general public to use their voice
You never where the best for the job
@Navanman: why don’t you put your name down for it then
@Navanman: *were
@Fiona Wyse: That’s the kind of quizzical retort you’d expect from a 6 year old.
St Patrick’s revenge.
@JP: best comment so far lmao!
Don’t be fooled into believing this was honourable. There is no honour in that man. He ran from a sinking ship. His name will still be attached to the many many screw ups.. He achieved nothing!
@Eoghan Augusta: he did achieve something though… he’s completely fecked us all over and now he gets to walk away from his mess. Probably has a cushy job in thr EU set up now.
@Morticia Byrne: How, with full employment, a booming economy, majority of people own their own home, airlines and airports packed with holiday makers, you couldn’t throw a stone without hitting a new car ?
The government are setting up an enquiry into the reasons he resigned it will be headed up by Judge Judy.
He never was the best person for the job.
He’s pulling a Bertie, the coward!! He stopped being the best person for the job when the government allowed rent prices to soar to ridiculous levels that they are now at
In the photo, he is turning him back to the camera .just like the way he has turned his back to the Irish people on so many occasions
You never were the best person for the job. Just a little Torieboy boot licker.
You ruined our country . Now take your fg/FF buddies with you. The hardship and damage you have caused on working class people is unbelievable. Maggie Thatcher would be proud of you.
Brilliant at the beginning of pandemic, and if you don’t recognise this you’re fooling yourself, but quite bad on the big issues like housing and health system. Yes, indeed, he was perfect for the rich, for lgbt (no pb with that), but not everybody is rich or gay. He shouldn’t allowed this housing crisis, that’s absolutely incredible the way we are in now where the medium rent in Dublin is 80% of a medium wage.
@Chris: Yes, the memorable quotes from Mean Girls in his national address at the Covid outset was truly brilliant. A true statesman. Definitely not an infantile narcissist.
Good riddance
Don’t like the guy or his party, but that takes balls in fairness. He’s gone up.in my estimations. He’s now at a sum total of 1
Why do I feel like I want to open a bottle of Prosecco. This is the best news from the government in years.
FG have made no progress/improvements In the polls during Varadkar’s 7 year tenure. They have lost several by-elections and just recently the 2 referendums, in what was a disastrous result. The worst leader in FG’s history and one of the worst Taoisigh – he won’t be missed.
Considering he and ffg have had power since the foundation of the state and civil war politics are nearly finished, The grift will go on and on and on ,ps as much as I disagree with the man’s politics , I believe in democracy and he is the leader of of government and I respect that office,
That took a long time to come to that realization…
I think I must be mad, because I believe all those who enter politics should be admired and respected no matter what their political leaning. It is not easy having your family life upset and the unnecessary vile criticism of you constantly. All TDs enter the Dail to do the best they can for the country and not for the money. If it was for money we would have thousands on each ballot paper. All politicians get it wrong but then the are human. As a wise man once said ” he who makes no mistakes knows nothing “
@finbarr walsh: ya you’re mad
All I’ll say is thank God we had a Taoiseach who was a doctor at the start of the pandemic.
@Dawn O’Shea: And while we were building a new children’s hospital too. Made all the difference. Great work Leo.
@Dawn O’Shea: Yes, I’ll remember him for his efforts during the pandemic. He did more there and then to help Irish people and I’ve heard English people praising him and wishing their country had had better oversight. He also volunteered when he didn’t have to. Credit where it’s due; he did his part.
He never was the best person for the job!
“… Continue going forward” , “protect all that’s been achieved…” The man is deluded, the country hasn’t been in this bad a state for a long, long time. I struggled to watch that video, FFS, the guy is starting to cry at one stage !
Do I see Harris rubbing his hands (see photo) with glee anticipating his chances of being the next Taoiseach?
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