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Maternity Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 13 February 2014

Thursday, 13 February 2014

Questions (60)

Lucinda Creighton

Question:

60. Deputy Lucinda Creighton asked the Minister for Health if he will outline, since the Health Information and Quality Authority report into the standards of maternity care at the hospital where a person (details supplied) died almost a year ago, the subsequent recruitment that has taken place for all hospitals in maternity care here, as indicated was necessary in the report; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6893/14]

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Written answers

My Department is ensuring that the actions required to implement the recommendations of the HIQA Report into the death of Ms Halappanavar are being undertaken across our health services with a view to improving patient safety and providing a more patient-centred model of care. A Progress Report by the HSE's National Director of Acute Hospitals, who has been assigned responsibility for this body of work, was forwarded to my Department on 23rd January last. Progress in implementing both local and national recommendations are well under way and will continue throughout the year. The Deputy will understand that implementation of some of the recommendations will necessarily require a longer time period beyond the current year.

Following on from the Authority's Report I have listed five key priorities in relation to patient safety:

- Patient Safety has been made a priority within the HSE's Annual Service Plan through specific measures focused on quality and patient safety including Healthcare Associated Infections, Medication Safety and implementation of Early Warning Score systems.

- My Department is leading the development of a Code of Governance which will clearly set out employers' responsibilities in relation to achieving optimal safety culture, governance and performance.

- I have asked HIQA to ensure that my patient safety priorities are included in the monitoring programme against the National Standards for Safer Better Care.

- My Department, in conjunction with the HSE, will develop a new National Maternity Strategy this year to provide the strategic direction for the optimal development of our maternity services.

- I have instructed the National Clinical Effectiveness Committee (NCEC) to commission and quality-assure four priority national guidelines on Sepsis, Clinical Handover, Maternal Early Warning Score and Paediatric Early Warning Score. This body of work is in progress.

In relation to recruitment I would like to advise the Deputy that despite our falling birth rates, increased numbers of midwives have been employed in the health service. The number of Staff Midwives employed at the end of 2010 was 1,178 (WTE's). By the end of 2013, the number had increased to 1,341, including 20 recently qualified midwives participating in the Graduate Nursing/Midwifery Programme. This increase reflects the capacity of the HSE to appoint critical front-line staff where it is necessary to do so, notwithstanding overall recruitment constraints.

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