Four Portlaoise hospital staff face disciplinary action

Four medical personnel from Portlaoise hospital have been referred for possible disciplinary action arising from the deaths of a number of babies in recent years, the Minister for Health Leo Varadkar has said.

Speaking to media at the hospital, Mr Varadkar also said maternity facilities may be closed at a number of smaller hospitals following a review of the State’s maternity services, due to be completed before the end of the year.

Mr Varadkar is currently meeting staff at the Midlands Regional Hospital, Portlaoise, as well as the parents and families of babies who died at the hospital over the past number of years.

Asked whether anyone would be disciplined as a result of the shortcomings in care at the hospital, Mr Varadkar said: "It is the case that there have been two referrals to the Nursing and Midwifery Board already, two referrals to the Medical Council already and there is a disciplinary process for management which is going to start in the HSE as well."

He said he hoped people would have confidence in the hospital, as changes had been made and it was probably safer now than at any time in the past decade.

“This hospital has a new manager, a director of midwifery for the first time, it has an MOU with the Coombe to operate its maternity services. It has nearly 20 additional midwives and more consultants.

“There have been a lot of improvements. But it also true that there have been eight reports now into standards in Portlaoise and opportunities have been missed to put things right. I am determined to do that now.”

Hiqa report

Mr Varadkar said he wanted to hear the views of the families of the babies as to how the recommendations made by the Health and Information Quality Authority (Hiqa) in its report on maternity services at Portlaoise, published last week, should be implemented.

“Secondly, I will be asking them how they would like to see the future of this hospital develop.”

The Minister then said that a review of all maternity services across the State was underway.

Asked if the review could lead to the closure of any maternity services, he said: “It possibly could, but I want to reiterate that any decisions that are made about any special services in any hospital in the country will be made on the basis of what’s best for patient safety and patient outcomes.”

On the death of a baby in Cavan General Hospital yesterday – the fourth at the medical centre in 30 months - Mr Varadkar said a review of all infant deaths at the hospital was not yet warranted.

“This appears to be a baby death during a Caesarean section, which is very uncommon and that’s why an individualised investigation will be required . . . I don’t think at this stage a specific investigation into Cavan is warranted until we have more information on this case.”