Revealed: Mayo maternity unit 'facing ongoing recruitment and financial challenges'

The head of health services provision across the western region has admitted that maternity units with small numbers of deliveries - including Mayo University Hospital - are facing consistent challenges in respect of recruitment and ensuring the quality of care provided is consistent and always improving.

Speaking during a debate on the National Maternity Strategy (2016-2026) at the Oireachtas Health Committee, Tony Canavan, regional executive officer, HSE West and North West, said the challenges in respect of recruitment are 'ongoing' as well as 'ensuring the quality of care provided is consistent and always improving'.

He elaborated: "We see that as a repeated feature in many of the incidents that we have dealt with over the years.

"Workforce remains an ongoing challenge, particularly for model 3 hospitals and co-located maternity services in model 3 hospitals. There is no question about that.

"We have managed to knit - if that is the correct term - our five maternity units together, particularly in the context of the quality of care they provide.

"Key performance indicators that show whether there are issues of concern are in place and are monitored and reported on regularly across all our units.

“They are reviewed by the clinical director and then they form a reporting line. Incidents do arise in maternity units.”

Mr. Canavan also stated the scale of the financial hurdles is very significant and his region is obliged to work within its allocated resources.

“There is a contrast between our experience and the context in which we deliver maternity services and, for example, the Rotunda Hospital,” he added.