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Further restrictions in maternity hospitals as some decide to reverse decision allowing partners into 20-week scan

Some hospitals adapted their visiting restrictions for difficult situations such as pregnancy loss, stillbirth and unexpected complications.

FURTHER RESTRICTIONS HAVE been put in place in some of the country’s maternity hospitals since Level 5 lockdown kicked in. 

However, a number of maternity hospitals have said it has adapted their visiting restrictions for difficult situations such as pregnancy loss, stillbirth and unexpected complications.

A spokesperson for The Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital said: 

“Given the introduction of further level 5 restrictions, the increase in the number of women being admitted with Covid-19 and the significant increase in Covid-19 community transmissions over the last number of days we regrettably have had to put in place further restrictions.

“We do not make these decisions lightly and the measures in place will be monitored by the Covid-19 Executive Team on an ongoing basis and changes will be made as soon as it is safe to do so.”

The spokesperson said the hospital’s primary concern is the safety of mothers, babies and staff.

“We deliver over 8,000 babies each year and we will continue to offer excellent and safe care and in circumstances where a woman requires extra support please be assured that we will provide that.”

The announcement comes after the Rotunda Hospital announced that partners will no longer be allowed to attend the 20-22 week pregnancy scan.

National Maternity Hospital

However, the National Maternity Hospital said there are currently no visitor restrictions in place for partners of pregnant women attending for 20-22 week scans at the National Maternity Hospital.

However, given the current public health context, the need for restrictions is reviewed on an ongoing basis.

Any changes to current policy are published on the hospital’s social media channels, said a spokesperson.

Partners are allowed to attend the labour ward or theatre for a caesarean section, but are not permitted to attend an antenatal visit or an ultrasound scan.

Partners were not allowed to attend the 20-week anatomy scan for most of 2020 due to Covid-19 restrictions before this position was reversed by many hospitals.

Cork, Waterford, Kerry, Tipperary 

Four maternity hospitals in the South/South West Hospital Group – Cork University Maternity Hospital, and maternity units in University Hospital Waterford, University Hospital Kerry and South Tipperary General Hospital – will also impose new restrictions from Monday.

Due to the surge in the virus, from Monday, partners will not be able to attend the routine 20-22 week anatomy scan at the four maternity hospitals. 

The hospital group said it is “very mindful of the distress these restrictions may cause and in line with national guidance, we will review these measures on a weekly basis”.

“The South/South West Hospital Group fully understands how challenging visiting restrictions at our four Maternity Hospitals have been. However, in light of the move to Level 5 restrictions and the increased rate of transmission within the community there is a need to minimise footfall to our maternity units, to limit the risk of the virus spreading. 

“The safety of women, their babies and maternity staff is central to the provision of our maternity services which must be continuously available when required by our patients,” they said.

However, the hospitals wished to make clear that the birthing partner will still be able to attend:

  • as soon as the mother is in established labour;
  • for the birth itself;
  • for delivery by caesarean section;
  • can stay for some time in the immediate post birth period either in the labour Ward or the theatre recovery except in South Tipperary General Hospital where the partner can return to the ward with the patient for one hour as there is no theatre recovery room available at the hospital;
  • When a baby is in the Neonatal Unit or Neonatal Intensive Care Unit one parent (at a time) can visit their baby – of note the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit visiting times are unrestricted.

The hospital group said it is sensitive to specific situations regarding pregnancy loss, stillbirth and unexpected complications and we have adapted their visiting restrictions in these situations.

All patients who receive a pregnancy loss diagnosis are to be offered the opportunity for her partner to attend at that time. Her partner can attend all subsequent visits, said the spokesperson. 

Limerick

Visiting, including partner visits, at University Maternity Hospital Limerick has been significantly restricted since March 2020 in order to protect women and infants, as well as staff said a spokesperson for the hospital.

Sine 15 December, the hospital reclassified partners as ‘essential companions’ of pregnant women for the foetal anomaly or anatomy scan.

However, due to the current exponential surge in Covd-19, the hospital has said it has been left with no option but to reverse this decision.

“Until further notice, visiting at UMHL will be restricted to the partners/support persons of mothers in the labour ward/theatre only, with a strict limit of one visitor per patient.

“Birthing partners are permitted to be present on the labour ward for all vaginal births and are permitted to remain with mother and baby for approximately one to one-and-a-half hours after delivery. Unfortunately they are requested to leave when the patient is being transferred to the postnatal ward,” they said.

Partners are also permitted during labour in the case of elective C-sections and in the case of an emergency C-section under spinal anaesthetic, where partners are permitted in theatre for the birth of the infant.

If the C-section is being performed under general anaesthetic, the partner is not permitted into theatre, as has always been the practice in the hospital.

The hospital said it  is “acutely aware and very sensitive” to specific situations regarding pregnancy loss, stillbirth and unexpected complications and it has adapted their visiting restrictions in these situations to ensure that women have the on-site support of their partner.

“We very much regret having to reverse our decision allowing partners to attend for the anomaly scan. We are very aware of the distress and inconvenience these restrictions have caused for our service users and their loved ones.

“However, the decision is essential in order to protect the health and wellbeing of all patients and staff from the threat of Covid-19 at a time of exponential increase in community transmission of the disease.

“Management at UMHL will keep the need for restrictions under review at all times, and continue to work to balance the need for health protection with compassion for people’s needs and preferences,” the hospital statement said.

Appeals from pregnant women

Earlier this week, TheJournal.ie reported that nearly 200 new or expecting parents wrote to the Minister of Health between August and October appealing for restrictions at maternity hospitals to be lifted.

Hundreds more are understood to have been sent up to the end of lat year.

Emotional and angry emails seen by TheJournal.ie detail how women were left terrified of going through labour alone, without their partners. 

Others spoke about the harrowing stories of being told that they had had a miscarriage when they were sitting alone in a maternity hospital, with their partners left in car parks.

In one email, one expectant mother detailed “one of the most upsetting moments of my life”.

She had a bleed at eight weeks into pregnancy and had to go to the hospital alone.

She explained how women were in hospital waiting rooms without their partners, being told the most upsetting news.

The HSE said each maternity unit will be risk assessing the current arrangements and will advise on any necessary change.

“We appreciate the patience shown by families as we work through these difficult months, providing high quality maternity and infant care and keeping our patients and services safe from Covid-19,” the HSE added.

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    Mute John K
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    Oct 1st 2024, 11:28 AM

    “Unable to cope with the burden of our success” strange reason to close a business. I wonder if there is more to the story.

    124
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    Mute Paul O'Mahoney
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    Oct 1st 2024, 11:32 AM

    @John K: It’s a strange comment, they have been in business through a lot worse times.

    I’ll always remember their potato pie and it’s size especially in the 80s

    63
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    Mute honey badger
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    Oct 1st 2024, 11:45 AM

    @John K: Maybe they’re getting out while on top. I’m sure they’ve made a few quid. No harm wanting to enjoy the well-earned spoils.

    79
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    Mute eoin fitzpatrick
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    Oct 1st 2024, 11:50 AM

    @John K: staffing issues usually means bottom of the barrel wages and horrible hours. If they shared profits more with the ground staff I doubt they’d have staffing issues.

    48
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    Mute Paul O'Mahoney
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    Oct 1st 2024, 11:53 AM

    Why not sell it as a going concern then? It makes very little sense.

    37
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    Mute Stanley Marsh
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    Oct 1st 2024, 12:04 PM

    @John K: According to the interview Brian gave on the radio this morning they were always flat out but due to rising costs they couldn’t make the business work.

    That and the fact that not being able to get the proper full time staff was putting too much pressure on them.

    21
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    Mute John K
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    Oct 1st 2024, 12:17 PM

    @honey badger: getting out on top? That’s a reason to retire from boxing, not business.

    26
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    Mute Louis Jacob
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    Oct 1st 2024, 12:25 PM

    @John K: If you were in the hospitality business, you’d know what he was talking about. It wears you down.

    45
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    Mute Anthony Curran
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    Oct 1st 2024, 12:28 PM

    @John K: Haven’t heard an excuse like that since Pat Mustard said he’s just too gorgeous!

    38
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    Mute Jonathan Kennedy
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    Oct 1st 2024, 1:00 PM

    @John K: they probably want to sell it on and the truth might hurt the sell price. Cafes are all busy, but busy paying the running costs to energy companies, revenue and unsustainable labour rates. It is what it is don’t backlash at me.

    17
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    Mute Jonathan Kennedy
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    Oct 1st 2024, 1:01 PM

    @eoin fitzpatrick: do you think! I bet if you saw their books you would have a cringe and a rethink.

    4
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    Mute Mr “JonnieBoy” Johnson
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    Oct 1st 2024, 1:10 PM

    @Paul O’Mahoney: why not sell as a going concern? Something up here.

    7
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    Mute Niall English
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    Oct 1st 2024, 1:35 PM

    @Mr “JonnieBoy” Johnson: like most businesses, closing their doors before the revenue come looking for the warehoused tax.

    8
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    Mute Mr “JonnieBoy” Johnson
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    Oct 1st 2024, 1:36 PM

    @Niall English: ah ha, I see said the blind man.

    4
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    Mute Kevin Kerr
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    Oct 1st 2024, 3:15 PM

    @Niall English: closing the business does not absolve them from their tax liabilities, including any warehoused tax that they might owe. Indeed, all it means is that they need to pay the tax now rather than some date in the future

    4
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    Mute Geraldine O'Riordan
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    Oct 1st 2024, 11:38 AM

    30 staff out of work with 6 days’ notice.
    Very strange situation.
    Can they get redundancy, holiday pay, etc.

    79
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    Mute Seamus Enright
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    Oct 1st 2024, 1:02 PM

    It’s ironic that Martin, who grew up fairly close by is mourning it’s demise when he’s part of the government that is strangling small businesses with red tape.

    Corporate Chains are far more able to deal with the onerous bureaucracy that our government forces restaurant owners to deal with.

    76
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    Mute lastfewchocices
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    Oct 1st 2024, 1:22 PM

    @Seamus Enright: it’s not the government. It’s the eu. Box ticking exercises for Brussels. Even a general election with a change of government won’t make a difference.

    13
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    Mute thomas molloy
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    Oct 1st 2024, 12:32 PM

    Run off your feet collecting various taxes and pie in the sky level commercial rates levied by pen pushers cheered on by leftist media and populist politicians. We are a communist state in all but name.

    79
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    Mute Paul O'Mahoney
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    Oct 1st 2024, 11:59 AM

    People of Cork will know this but I’ll inform the rest of the country. Each branch has a picture of Padre Pio and the reason for that was, I believe, Jackie was diagnosed with cancer and the prognosis wasn’t very good so they went and visited Padre Pio and he prayed over him and his cancer disappeared.

    70
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    Mute Louis Jacob
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    Oct 1st 2024, 12:21 PM

    First Sir Henry’s, now Lennox’s… Cork “rooooned”

    40
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    Mute Sean O'Dhubhghaill
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    Oct 1st 2024, 12:29 PM

    @Louis Jacob: As long as The Mutton Lane stays open…….
    (though the tourists can be a pain in the a*se)

    12
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    Mute Louis Jacob
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    Oct 1st 2024, 12:30 PM

    @Sean O’Dhubhghaill: Yes, I forgot about that. And Sin E.

    13
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    Mute Liam Kelleher
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    Oct 1st 2024, 2:16 PM

    If you know anything about Lennox’s, you would know it was run by a great family who treated customers and staff above and beyond, for generations, literally. It will be missed.
    They dearly wanted to reach 75 years.
    Brian mentioned two factors on the radio.
    1..Staff hard to acquire (used to have more)
    2..Red tape paperwork ..its so hard running a small business in an anti business country (take a bow Me-Hole) with the costs and time involved.
    The feeling from the radio was it simply was not worth going on. Not a decision taken lightly..
    This was an innovative (they added a laundrette to Bandon Rd), successful and well run business.
    They had taken lease back earlier this year and must have came to the sad realisation it wasn’t worth it.
    This sector is down 25% in one year.
    I found Martins comment offensive.

    31
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    Mute The Hard Road
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    Oct 1st 2024, 11:27 AM

    Very sad to see these long running charities shutting up shop.
    Who will feed the good people of Cork now I wonder?

    18
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    Mute Paul O'Mahoney
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    Oct 1st 2024, 11:33 AM

    @The Hard Road: It’s not a charity it’s a business.

    47
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    Mute 1975johnnie
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    Oct 1st 2024, 12:07 PM

    @Paul O’Mahoney: the sarcasm went over your head

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    Mute Paul O'Mahoney
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    Oct 1st 2024, 12:27 PM

    @1975johnnie: What sarcasm are you referring to.

    12
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    Mute Jonathan Kennedy
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    Oct 1st 2024, 8:40 PM

    @The Hard Road: no laughing emojis allowed….but if they were you got one from me.

    1
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    Mute HisMastersAlibi
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    Oct 1st 2024, 1:33 PM

    That’s sad to hear, loved a much from there, 1st time was intimidating with calling in the order from way back in the queue.

    13
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    Mute Phillip Smyth
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    Oct 1st 2024, 12:22 PM

    Burdocks Christchurch would be hard to beat Ray and chips soaked in lard.

    7
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    Mute Meh Meh
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    Oct 1st 2024, 12:34 PM

    @Phillip Smyth: Ray is absolutely disgusting, it’s like a battered umbrella. How anyone likes it is beyond me.

    19
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    Mute Phillip Smyth
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    Oct 1st 2024, 12:41 PM

    @Meh Meh: it’s a Dublin acquired taste don’t have a wing as you call umbrella, you can have the centre of blonde Ray female of the species obviously, known as long Ray and a single delicious.

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    Mute Meh Meh
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    Oct 1st 2024, 12:47 PM

    @Phillip Smyth: Dub here too. Ah, I think I only ever tried the wing. Pure manky if not expecting it to be so full of bones. It was like, munch, argh, boke. Bin.

    5
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    Mute Phillip Smyth
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    Oct 1st 2024, 3:21 PM

    @Meh Meh: the bones are flat so no need to bother with the bones, just scrape the fish off the bone each side it really is a dub thing, most people feel its like a ray couldn’t eat that.

    2
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    Mute Meh Meh
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    Oct 1st 2024, 6:06 PM

    @Phillip Smyth: You can also scrape the fleshy bits off a rats carcass, but I’d much prefer a fishfinger meself.

    2
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    Mute John Flanagan
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    Oct 1st 2024, 4:31 PM

    My god this new one on me. Cork has a chipper closing. Among many around the country. But mehole is very sad because it’s in Cork. Ahhh mehole has nothing else to upset him only a chipper in his city of cork. No other city chipper like cork. Tell u what’s his worries are. Cod and chips. What a cod he is

    8
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    Mute Louis Jacob
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    Oct 1st 2024, 5:53 PM

    @John Flanagan: A family business of 70 years providing employment for 1000s over the years. What do you want?

    16
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