Mount Carmel expectant mothers ‘in the dark’

A number of expectant mothers due to give birth in Mount Carmel Hospital, the south Dublin private hospital which has gone into liquidation, were contacted by consultants over the weekend to arrange for alternative maternity arrangements.

However, others said they were “still in the dark” yesterday as to what hospitals they would be transferred to, having received no contact from their consultants or the hospital.

On Friday, it was announced the hospital would be wound down, following the appointment of provisional liquidators by the High Court.

It is expected the process will take about a fortnight, after which time the hospital, founded in 1949, will close. Redundancies are expected within this time frame, with talks with unions early this week.

A spokeswoman for the liquidator said yesterday arrangements for expectant mothers to be transferred to other hospitals were “well-advanced” and patients were being contacted by order of due date and upcoming appointments. She said patients who had paid deposits directly to the hospital would be refunded or partially refunded, depending on services, including scans, already availed of. However, a number of expectant mothers said yesterday they had still not been informed of arrangements.

Sheena Crean, from Ballsbridge, who is 20 weeks into her pregnancy, described the lack of information as “appalling”: “I was told on Friday that I would hear something by the end of the day but I haven’t heard anything since. Leaving people three days without any information is inexcusable.”

Emma Hegarty, from Stepaside, who is 28-weeks pregnant, said she was “increasingly stressed” and had been reliant on the media and Twitter for information, describing a phone line set up for patients as a “waste of time”.

“It really hit home over the weekend – I’m a very nervous patient and I feel very daunted by the prospect of some of the other maternity hospitals.”

Transfers to Coombe
Although arrangements have not been finalised, informed sources said it was anticipated consultants with private practices in Mount Carmel who also have public practices in the Coombe will transfer patients to the latter facility. The National Maternity Hospital is expected to facilitate consultants who operated full-time private practices in Mount Carmel.

The National Maternity Hospital on Holles Street has posted a notice to “Mount Carmel Hospital patients” on its website, as well as setting up a phone line. It is also holding a “guided tour” this evening.

A spokesman for the Coombe said it had capacity.

Meanwhile, the Health Service Executive has said public patients in Mount Carmel would remain in the facility until they could be discharged or moved. “Patients transferred from public hospitals pending discharge or transfer to community faculties will remain in Mount Carmel until appropriate facilities in community are available,” the HSE spokeswoman said.The HSE’s national director for acute hospitals, Ian Carter, “has been and remains in contact with the liquidator, our first priority is the continuing care of patients”.