I wish to share my time with Deputy Perry.
If men rather than women gave birth, I would not have to raise this issue this evening. If men gave birth there would not be a problem. If men gave birth, male medical personnel, male administrators and bureaucrats and male politicians would ensure the whole process of labour and delivery was as pain free and stress free as possible.
Women give birth and their needs in relation to pain relief are not being met in many maternity units in this country, particularly in Sligo General Hospital. While the birth of a new baby is normally a joyous occasion, it can be stressful, traumatic and painful for the mother during the birth period. Giving birth is not an elective procedure. Women cannot order the day of labour or delivery. By and large, the date on which a baby is born is decided by natural processes outside of the remit of hospital administration. Given that fact, one would assume that pregnant women would be able to rely on a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week service for the administration of epidural anaesthesia for those who chose an epidural. That is not the case for women in Sligo and Leitrim. The epidural service in Sligo General Hospital is only available on five days out of seven. The days in which the epidural service is available varies depending on the rotas for non-consultant hospital doctors. Women who go into labour and arrive at the hospital expecting epidural may draw the short straw in the epidural lottery and find they are unlucky enough to be delivering on a day when a service is not available to them.
There were on average 1,283 births in Sligo General Hospital in the past two years. That is an average of 106 births per month. Between January and May 2000, there were 521 babies born in Sligo General Hospital. How many of their mothers who wished to do so were able to avail of an epidural? What percentage of the average 106 mothers who will give birth in Sligo General Hospital this month will have no choice but to give birth without the aid of an epidural? Can the Minister stand over such shoddy treatment of pregnant women? Sligo General Hospital is one non-consultant hospital doctor short for the past six months. It is only with the goodwill of the already over-worked NCHD that some of the 520 women who gave birth in Sligo this year were able to have an epidural.
I understand it is hoped to supply a full seven days service in July when the new NCHD contracts are signed. That is not good enough. There are no guarantees. We are likely to be short nationally of 142 non-consultant hospital doctors from 1 July onwards. What are women supposed to do in the meantime and what will they do in Sligo if there are no appointments in July? The Minister is responsible for this situation. He and his predecessor have presided over the rapid deterioration in our health services and it is time he put patients first. It is time for action and for the restoration of the best possible care. Pregnant women should not have to worry about whether there will be a doctor available to give them an epidural. It is a scandal that matters have reached this stage.
I hope to hear tonight that the Minister of State has an immediate and comprehensive solution to this dreadful problem. I hope she will acknowledge that women are entitled to full and proper care at all our maternity hospitals and to services they seek when giving birth. I hope to hear that pregnant women will have one less matter to worry about when they go into labour in Sligo General Hospital in the weeks to come. I fear, however, that they will be disappointed.