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THE HSE HAS repeated its “unreserved apology” for the failings in the care and outcomes experienced by families of babies who died after their births at Portlaoise Hospital.
In a statement, the HSE said a new management team has been appointed on an interim basis in order to run the service from today.
The new team consists of Michael Knowles who is currently General Manager in Naas Hospital and Angela Dunne, currently the Assistant Director of the Coombe Women and Infant University Hospital.
The National Director for Acute Hospitals, Ian Carter, said “the new governance arrangements will bring the appropriate vigour to maternity services in Portlaoise Hospital.”
This is essential to quickly restore any loss of confidence that may have arisen amongst patients who intend to use this facility”.
Commenting on the report, today, its author, Dr Tony Holohan, said the hospital’s maternity services cannot be regarded as “safe and sustainable” in its current form. It also emerged that the death of a fifth baby is currently being looked at.
In the report, it was also highlighted that families were treated in a poor and at times appalling manner with limited respect, kindness, courtesy and consideration. The HSE said its Director General, Tony O’Brien, has recently written to all staff in health services highlighting the importance of honestly communicating with patients and families.
Reaction
Following the publication of the report, Patient Focus, who has worked with a number of woman who were unhappy with the care they received at the hospital, said they were “deeply concerned by the seeming inaction” by the risk management department in relation to the serious outcomes for babies born there.
“Therefore it is with great relief that we welcome the initiatives detailed by Minister Reilly today,” the organisation added.
Aside from the new interim management team, Reilly said he was directing a swift analysis of workforce planning across the country to be completed by the HSE.
Fianna Fáil’s health spokesperson Billy Kelleher said he thought the findings were “shocking and very disturbing”.
To read that families and patients were treated in a poor and, at times, appalling manner with limited respect, kindness, courtesy and consideration is truly awful.
“It is clear that the families were treated scandalously and that there was simply no justification for the withholding of information from them.”
TD Denis Naughten said the scale of these problems never would have come to light without the “perseverance of Roisin and Mark Molloy in seeking answers” about their baby’s death.
“The Molloys have been forced to put their family life on hold for the last two years in order to get justice for little Mark and the other babies who died under questionable circumstances at Portlaoise Hospital,” he said.
“This should not have had to happen and again highlights the urgent need to introduce a law on medical disclosure forcing health professionals to inform patients when a mistake has been made.”
He said the stress and the pain of these cases has been significantly compounded by the lack of engagement from the hospital and the battle to get basic information.
Sinn Féin’s Caoimhghín Ó Caoláin described Reailly’s response to this report as one of it being “everyone else’s fault” and said the minister should be held accountable.
“His concern is not enough and it is probably too late for some,” he said today. “Minister Reilly on taking up office said he was taking back direct responsibility for the health services to the desk of the Minister for Health and that he would be the accountable figurehead at the helm.”
Staff shortages
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) welcomed Minister Reilly’s call for an investigation in to services at the hospital.
In a recent survey, the INMO found the maternity unit in the hospital was the poorest staffed in the country.
This staffing deficit means that the midwifery staff, in Portlaoise, are facing workloads which are double that recommended to maintain best and safe midwifery care.
“Today’s report must act as a turning point. We must see, not only in Portlaoise but all others areas of the health system, the concerns of frontline, registered and regulated nurses and midwives, once articulated, being listened to, and positively responded to, by senior management,” said Liam Doran, INMO General Secretary. “These managers have, in recent years, focused solely upon cost savings and cut backs and not on the quality of patient care.”
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Arent people innocent too she hardly thought she would get away with it
What was the “heroine” doing in her house? Did they find any heroes too?!
There’s a button to “send tips to the author” above.
Don’t blame the author. Poor spelling and typos are the industry standard now.
I`ve never seen cocaine with the Garda stamp on it before, wouldn`t be sure of the quality
I’ve seen plenty of weed being sold in Garda baggies.Think you can order the bags online.
The merry-go-round of futility continues.
Demand for Drugs will never be stopped (as long as there is misery and detachment in society).
Education, regulation and harm reduction are key to minimising risk to users. .
Its not about misery anymore i dont think, people choose to take these drugs for pleasure leisure and partying etc. its nearly a standard among the dance industry and “sessions” now with the majority of people that attend. Heorin wil always be around but i think it will slowly die out as it already is these days. Alot of people now know that if you choose to put that needle in your arm, your life wont be the same again! More realistic drug education in secondary school is needed
People have always known the dangers associated with heroin, they do it anyway. Take a walk down O’Connell Street, see how heroin is dying out..
Sean the pleasure, leisure & partying comes first,the misery will follow later. With the amount of tablets being taken by younger people today it’s only a matter of time before we have another heroin epidemic. History is firmly on course to repeat itself.
Party in Ronanstown tonight
Lots of drugs seizures lately.. You’d know we’re on the road to recovery from the recession.
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