As the Deputy may be aware the Chief Medical Officer’s report on Perinatal Deaths at the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise (2014), recommended that every maternity service should be required to complete and publish a monthly Patient Safety Statement. The National Maternity Strategy and the HIQA (Portlaoise) Report reinforced that recommendation and monthly Patient Safety Statements are now published by all 19 maternity units.
Maternity Patient Safety Statements are generally published 2 months in arrears and provide individual unit/hospital level detail, including Hospital Activities, Major Obstetric Events, Delivery Metrics and Clinical incidents. The Statements are an important element of the clinical governance for maternity services and help inform assurances around the safety and quality of our maternity services.