HSE rejects safety fears for mothers

DAVID RALEIGH and MARY MINIHAN

THE HEALTH Service Executive has said plans are being put in place to try to deal with the potential loss of up to 47 midwives from the Mid-Western Regional Maternity Hospital in Limerick.

It follows a statement on Tuesday from Dr Gerry Burke, a consultant obstetrician at the hospital, who has claimed mothers and newborn babies may die if the hospital loses the midwives under the HSE’s early retirement scheme.

The HSE said: “Contingency plans are being developed to cover any gaps that may arise in staffing as a result of midwives retiring at the end of February. It is not possible at present to say exactly how many will be leaving at the end of the grace period as staff still have a chance to change their minds.”

It said many of the contingency plans “are at an advanced stage”.

Dr Burke had said by the end of February, the maternity hospital would have lost 47 midwives out of its complement of just over 200 and no plans to deal with the shortfall had been presented by the HSE or the Department of Health.

He claimed the shortfall at the hospital, which provides care to more than 6,000 women and about 5,200 newborns every year, would diminish the quality of care and “some women and babies may pay for it with their lives.”

Minister for Health James Reilly said in Dublin yesterday it was unfortunate anyone would create anxiety among women who were about to have babies.

“It’s unwise when we have a situation where we have no certainty around the number of people leaving. What we know at the moment is that there’s the equivalent of 16½ whole-time midwives going to leave the service,” but he said this could increase or decrease because people had a right to change their minds.

“I am confident that the HSE will have contingencies in place which will allow women to have their babies in safe circumstances,” he said.