5 Of 19 Materinity Hospitals & Units Not Fully Compliant With HSE Visiting Guidelines.

Thursday, 13 May 2021 11:22

Local issues are preventing greater access for the partners

Five of the country's 19 maternity units are not fully compliant with HSE guidelines on easing restrictions for partners.

The HSE's Chief Clinical Officer has asked the units to facilitate a minimum 30 minute a day visit - as well as having the partner present for anomaly scans, full labour and for access to neo-natal units.

📢 UPDATE on Maternity visits: I've received the report from the HSE on visits, etc. in our maternity units. The assessment yesterday by the HSE finds 14 of the 19 units are "fully compliant" with the national policy - 20 week scan, birth and neonatal. pic.twitter.com/Eq7q5juHWa
— Stephen Donnelly (@DonnellyStephen) May 13, 2021

The Health Minister has said 14 of the 19 maternity hospitals are fully compliant with the easing of those restrictions.

Stephen Donnelly said local issues in the five others are preventing greater access for the partners of pregnant women:

The five that are not compliant all have at least issues with daily visitation and all five are part of a general hospital, rather than being a standalone maternity unit. These will be engaged with further by the HSE to work through solutions.
— Stephen Donnelly (@DonnellyStephen) May 13, 2021

The Association for Improvements in Maternity Services says some hospitals are still making partners wait in car parks until the birth is imminent.

Chief Clinical Officer with the HSE, Dr Colm Henry, speaking on Thursday afternoon, says partners should be allowed once labour is induced.