Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 16 May 2001

Vol. 536 No. 3

Written Answers - Hospital Services.

Rory O'Hanlon

Ceist:

196 Dr. O'Hanlon asked the Minister for Health and Children if his attention has been drawn to the concern of expectant mothers in County Monaghan at the absence of an obstetric service including outpatient service at Monaghan General Hospital; if he will ensure that these services are restored as a matter of urgency; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [14301/01]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Martin)

The provision of maternity services at Dundalk County Hospital is a matter for the North-Eastern Health Board. The report of the review group on maternity services in the North-Eastern Health Board which was completed in November last recommended that consultant-led maternity services at Monaghan and Dundalk should cease due to concerns about patient safety; a pilot centre for midwife-led obstetric services should be established in Dundalk; and a consultant-led delivery units should be located at Drogheda and Cavan. I have been advised that the health board decided not to accept in full the recommendations in the review group's report and that it unanimously approved the establishment of a further review with a broader remit. This further review will reflect on the potential for cross-Border co-operation and the requirements of spatial planning as anticipated in the national development plan. The review group has been established and is scheduled to report by 7 September to the board.

At the request of the board, I met the chairman and members of the board on 30 January 2001. I wrote to the chairman on 5 February and I expressed my firm view that the way forward for maternity services is to put in place services which comply with safety standards and internationally recognised best practice. I also stated that it was imperative that the board establish and finalise a clear view on what services will be provided at each hospital in the region, the new services requiring to be developed and the enhancement of existing services in the light of the £160 million NDP funding which has been notified to the board.

I have also been advised that at a special meeting on 5 February the board further considered the question of maternity services at both Monaghan and Dundalk. The board mandated the chief executive officer to seek, as a matter of urgency, approval for the appointment of temporary consultant obstetricians to Cavan-Monaghan and Louth-Meath Hospital groups to facilitate the continuation of maternity services at both Monaghan and Dundalk and to seek, in addition, approval for the immediate appointment of on-site paediatric cover at both hospitals. The approval of any such posts is a matter for An Chomhairle, which is the statutory body set up to regulate appointments of consultant medical staff in hospitals providing services under the Health Acts.

On 13 February the board sought the approval of Comhairle na nOspidéal to the appointment of five temporary consultant staff, including one temporary consultant obstetrician-gynaecologist and a temporary consultant paediatrician for the Cavan-Monaghan Hospital group to be based at Monaghan Hospital. Comhairle na nOspidéal recently established a North-Eastern Health Board maternity services committee to review obstetric – maternity – and related paediatric, anaesthetic and gynaecological services for the population of the NEHB area, with particular reference to consultant staffing in the context of current best practice in order to facilitate high quality and safe services to women and children. This committee is considering the NEHB request for five temporary consultants and will report to the applications committee of An Chomhairle when its work programme is completed.

Pending a response from An Chomhairle to the application for the five temporary consultant posts the chief executive officer of the health board established a working group to prepare an action plan to ensure that all necessary appropriate actions were taken to provide for the safety of patients and staff having regard to the special needs and wishes of the patients concerned. Arising from this, in-patient obstetric services for Cavan-Monaghan are being provided at Cavan General Hospital. Discussions with consultant medical staff with a view to providing ante-natal and post-natal clinics at Monaghan General Hospital are ongoing. In this regard, I am advised by the board that it has a designated project office, based at the Monaghan site, who will respond to expectant mothers experiencing any difficulties with appointments etc. I am satisfied that the interim measures which have been introduced by the board, pending a response from An Chomhairle to the application for the additional temporary consultant posts, are providing an appropriate response to address the specific needs of maternity patients at Monaghan General Hospital.