Dáil Éireann debate -
Thursday, 18 Oct 2001

Vol. 542 No. 4

Written Answers. - Maternity Services.

Olivia Mitchell

Question:

134 Ms O. Mitchell asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the fact that mothers are being discharged from the Dublin maternity hospitals 24 hours after giving birth due to pressure on delivery wards; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that it is proposed to limit intake in the future; if his attention has further been drawn to the fact that patients are being turned away or forced to pay £2,000 to be treated as private patients; and his plans to address this matter. [24646/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin):

I accept that obstetric services at the Dublin maternity hospitals are under pressure. A number of factors have been identified by the Eastern Regional Health Authority – ERHA – as contributing to this.

The number of births in the eastern region has increased in recent years from 20,646 births in 1996 to 22,813 in the year 2000 with a further increase expected in 2001. This includes a high number of asylum seekers availing of obstetric services in the eastern region. It is expected that there will be about 3,000 births relating to asylum seekers in Dublin in 2001.

A significant contributory factor to the current pressures is the level of referrals from outside the eastern region. Approximately 10% of activity in the Dublin maternity hospitals relates to persons resident outside of the eastern region. The ERHA has recommended to the Dublin maternity hospitals that referrals from outside the region should be based on an assessment by a consultant in the women's own region that such a referral is warranted on clinical grounds. The ERHA acknowledges that in some cases there may be exceptions and are in discussions with the three maternity hospitals surrounding this issue. The ERHA is also contacting other health boards with a view to facilitating women to access maternity services in their local areas in keeping with a policy of regional self-sufficiency. However, services will continue to be provided to patients living outside the region who require access to specialised obstetric services.

With regard to the discharge of patients, I have been informed by the ERHA that the average length of stay in the three Dublin maternity hospitals ranges from 3.26 days to 4.54 days.

I wish to set the record straight in relation to the extent of the midwifery shortages in the Dublin area. Media reports of 110 midwifery posts vacant in the three Dublin maternity hospitals are incorrect. Information received by my Department on Monday indicates that while the three hospitals are short 84 midwives, the net vacancy situation is actually 54 posts, when account is taken of the number of registered general nurses that have been employed by the hospitals.

In addition, I have established a special forum to examine the current difficulties being experienced by the Dublin maternity hospitals in relation to the recruitment and retention of midwifes. This forum includes representatives of the three Dublin maternity hospitals, my Department, the Health Service Employers' Agency, the Eastern Regional Health Authority and the nursing unions. It will hold its first meeting on 19 October, and has been asked to report back to me as a matter of urgency. This forum will build on a number of initiatives already taken to recruit and retain midwives.

I can assure the Deputy that the provision of a comprehensive, safe and high quality obstetric service for the Eastern Region will continue to be of the upmost priority.