THE HSE have announced external reviews into the delivery of nine babies at Portiuncula University Hospital after concerns were raised.
Health bosses brought in a “highly experienced management team” to oversee maternity services at the Galway hospital in the coming months.
The HSE announced that external reviews will be carried out in to the delivery of nine babies at Portiuncula University Hospital[/caption]
This team, headed by external consultant obstetrician Dr Mark Skehan, will manage and support all aspects of maternity, gynaecology and neonatal services.
The HSE said the team will report directly to the HSE West and North West regional management.
In a statement, Regional Clinical Director Dr Pat Nash expressed apologies to the women and families who may be worried or upset by this news.
He said: “I want to firstly apologise to all those women and families for whom this news will be worrying or upsetting, we are making these changes now to ensure that the maternity service at Portiuncula is as safe as possible for mothers and their babies.
“External reviews are currently under way into the delivery of nine babies in PUH. Since 2024, seven babies had hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE), resulting in six of those babies being referred for neonatal hypothermic treatment, also referred to as neonatal cooling.
“In 2023, two stillbirths occurred at the hospital and the care provided in relation to these two deliveries is also currently being reviewed externally.”
Dr Nash also pointed out that the incidence of HIE, which led to the need for neonatal cooling treatment, is much higher than what’s seen nationally or internationally in a similar timeframe.
Hypoxic Ischaemic Encephalopathy can be caused by various factors and refers to the lack of blood or oxygen supply to a baby’s brain before, during, or after birth.
And Dr Nash added that Therapeutic Hypothermia is now the standard treatment for term infants with moderate to severe HIE.
He added: “This treatment involves cooling a baby quickly after birth and keeping them cool for several days. It slows the brain’s metabolism and can prevent further damage. The sooner body cooling starts, the better the outcomes for the baby.”
Tony Canavan, Regional Executive Officer, emphasised that their main concern is the women who have had, or will have, babies at Portiuncula and the well-being of their children.
He said: “From today, we have appointed a highly experienced team, led by an external consultant obstetrician to manage and lead the maternity service at Portiuncula University Hospital to ensure as safe and high quality services as possible, while we await the outcome of the reviews currently underway.
“We are concerned by these cases and we believe it is important that we review the care provided.
“We know this is a distressing time for women whose care is under review and we apologise for any added distress that this news brings.”
‘Additional measures put in place to improve safety ‘
Dr Cliona Murphy, Clinical Director of the HSE National Women and Infants Health Programme, said they’re now working closely to put additional measures in place to improve safety for women delivering their babies.
She said: “We have been working closely with the team in HSE West and North West and at Portiuncula University Hospital to put in place more measures to improve safety for women delivering their babies at this unit.
“We will continue to provide the necessary support to the unit and will work closely with the new management team there, led by an external consultant obstetrician.
“A series of service improvement plans and other measures were implemented at the unit following these reviews.”
Women who have questions about the maternity unit can contact the HSE directly at 1800 807 008.
