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HSE chief Paul Reid speaking at today's press briefing Leah Farrell via RollingNews.ie

HSE chief says roadmap to easing maternity hospital restrictions 'would be valuable'

There has been criticism in recent months of the different approaches taken by maternity hospitals.

LAST UPDATE | 12 Aug 2021

HSE CHIEF PAUL Reid has said he welcomes calls from campaigns for the publication of a roadmap on how maternity restrictions will be eased going forward, saying it would be “valuable”. 

There has been criticism in recent months of the different approaches taken by maternity hospitals, with some found not to be fully compliant with official guidance – having tighter restrictions on partner access during labour and at pre-natal appointments.

Linda Kelly, a campaigner for better maternity care, said that women are being made to feel like “second-class citizens” by the ongoing restrictions in the country’s maternity units.

Kelly, who is one of thousands of mothers who gave birth since restrictions were brought in, said that a workable solution is needed for pregnant women and their partners.

“We are calling on the Cabinet sub-committee (on Covid-19) to publish a roadmap at the end of August to reopen, and that they include a dedicated road map for maternity so we know how we will come out of this situation,” Kelly said. 

“There hasn’t been a consistent approach from the HSE as to why they are continuing to exclude partners from certain aspects of maternity care,” she said.

“That is one of things that has been distressing for families, is that there hasn’t been a logical, consistent position from the HSE.”

Campaigners also say that PCR tests or rapid antigen tests should be used by partners to gain access to appointments and maternity wards.

Speaking at the weekly HSE press briefing, Paul Reid said he welcomes the call for finding a roadmap to easing maternity restrictions. 

He said: 

“That’s the way we would like to move forward as well … trying to see that roadmap, I think that will be valuable for all of us.

The HSE chief said that a “finding a roadmap would be good”, but added that “it would be misleading to say we can predict when we’re going to be [back to] normal”. 

Reid said he will be talking to the Chief Clinical Officer about the issues surrounding maternity hospitals “very shortly”. 

When asked whether Covid-19 testing could play a role in maternity hospitals, Reid said: “Those are in the mix … at different stages of the transmission levels in the community, different solutions may offer themselves, whether that’s testing, vaccination, and we’re willing to look at all that.” 

Rotunda issues

Yesterday, the Master of the Rotunda Maternity Hospital Professor Fergal Malone said restrictions at the facility could be eased if more patients and their partners were vaccinated.

He said higher vaccine uptake among expectant mothers and their partners would make it possible to ease restrictions further.

Professor Malone said that, for several months, the Rotunda has been significantly exceeding the HSE guidelines of 30 minutes of visiting time per day, by allowing patients up to six hours of visiting each day, and up to nine hours at weekends. 

However, he added that in certain parts of the hospital, particularly the old main building, which dates back to 1757, there is no ventilation and there isn’t enough space to allow large numbers of people to sit together safely.

Professor Malone used the example of the ultrasound waiting room, which has only 12 seats.

“If I have eight or nine mothers sitting there and suddenly that’s 16 or 18 adults because they all have a partner with them in a small room that is not ventilated and not capable of being ventilated, that is a very serious risk,” he said.

And it’s the same with the emergency room waiting area, there’s only 10 seats there.

“If they’re all filled or most of them are filled by patients needing assessment, and I now double that by having their partner with them during that time, it’s just not safe.”

Speaking today, Paul Reid said he “fully supports the challenges that they have in the Rotunda, in particular”, noting the safety concerns regarding infrastructure. 

“I think they are being significantly compliant with the guidance we gave, but they are being very clear,” Reid said. 

Speaking yesterday about the infrastructure issues, Professor Malone added that every delivery room in the Rotunda is a single private room, meaning a woman’s partner can stay with them as soon as they are admitted to a room.

“Once a patient is admitted to the delivery room, whether she’s one centimetre dilated, or 10 centimetres dilated, of course, the patient’s partner will be with them for every minute of that journey,” he explained.

Malone added that the speed with which pregnant women can be moved into the single-occupancy rooms depends on how busy the hospital is at the time.

Eight rooms are currently available and this is shortly set to increase to 11.

The HSE’s director of acute hospitals Liam Woods said today that “most maternity hospitals are reporting as compliant with all requirements including the extended ones”, but added “there are some exceptions”. 

He said of the 19 maternity hospitals, 14 will be “fully compliant” by this weekend. 

“There’s a couple where they’re making physical space or changes within the hospital to facilitate with patients,” Woods said. 

“There’s a couple of sites, the Rotunda being one, where the physical limitations are such that it’s very difficult to fully comply,” he said. 

With reporting by Céimin Burke and Press Association 

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    Mute Tom Red
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:24 PM

    You’d be fair fecking cold if you only grabbed your hat and scarf..

    414
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    Mute TheIrishBrain
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:53 PM

    No scorchio.

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    Mute Philip King
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    Dec 1st 2014, 8:57 PM

    Hat scarf and sock

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    Mute AD0099
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 12:48 AM

    Dont forget your copy of the Holly Bough

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    Mute Anne Gyna
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    Dec 1st 2014, 8:13 PM

    I hope it drops down to below Zero & freezes the shxxe outa all the germs, virus’s & infections that are doing the rounds now. So many people sick with all the dirty fog & damp weather. A decent blast of frost & ice will soon solve that.

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    Mute Ronan O Connor(MUFC)
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:43 PM

    It was -36 here in Calgary yesterday . A day for the high stool and the bovril !

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    Mute Martin Hayes
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:59 PM

    Ronan, I remember a friend of mine who emigrated to Edmonton, he said Ireland always felt colder when he came home for Christmas because of the damp.
    I’d still rather be short taken in Enniscorthy than Edmonton though.

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    Mute damian
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 1:27 AM

    I was in Regina, Saskatchewan in central Canada for 3 weeks on a business trip. Just home a few days…. The first week or so it was -22 Celsius on a good day! Took your breath away! Crazy cold. Wind chill brought it down to – 31 Celsius. But Ireland’s damp cold is something to behold.

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    Mute Daniel Dudek Corrigan
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:42 PM

    when was the last time met eireann got the weather forecast right?

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    Mute Uncle Mort
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:43 PM

    Today?

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    Mute Daniel Dudek Corrigan
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    Dec 1st 2014, 8:49 PM

    Nowhere near to -2…

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    Mute Uncle Mort
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 11:42 AM

    The forecast rain moving across the country and a night-time low of -2, we got both .

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    Mute hairy ....
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:32 PM

    What a time to shave off my MO. My top lip will be cold tomorrow.

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    Mute Tom Red
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:34 PM

    I really hope you’re a fella?.

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    Mute Leslie Skinner
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    Dec 1st 2014, 8:02 PM

    Grab the duvet and stay in bed

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    Mute John O'Brien
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    Dec 1st 2014, 9:57 PM

    Roll on summer!

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    Mute Uncle Mort
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:26 PM

    No no no.it’s the warmest 1st week in December on record.

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    Mute Thomas Mac
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:36 PM

    I’ll believe it when I feel it.

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    Mute Lily
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:34 PM

    I have my hat got since last week (and I have rarely taken it off) but I still refuse to wear my winter jacket. Has to drop to below 0 for that.

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    Mute Sean Mcphillips
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:59 PM

    When does it not feel cold and wintry…only stating the obvious.

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    Mute N O'C
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    Dec 1st 2014, 9:11 PM

    Where were you all summer?

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    Mute Anto Byrne
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    Dec 1st 2014, 7:26 PM

    I have a whopper scarf and hat. Jacomos.com is the spot. Clothes only whop they are

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    Mute Jane Travers
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    Dec 2nd 2014, 12:41 AM

    Great. Just when my boiler decides to have a tantrum.

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