Meeting hears of Portiuncula downgrade fears

By David Flynn

At the most recent meeting of the Athlone Municipal District in Roscommon, the members of the local authority expressed deep concern about the possibility of maternity services at Portiuncula Hospital being downgraded.

Fine Gael’s Cllr Valerie Duffy brought up the issue, saying Portiuncula caters not just for Ballinasloe, but for Roscommon, Offaly, and Athlone.

The HSE recently announced that, on foot of external reviews into the care provided to five women and their babies at the hospital, it would be transferring high-risk pregnancies elsewhere.

“I'm deeply concerned that no high-risk mothers can have babies in Portiuncula in the long-term,” said Cllr Duffy. “It is envisaged that up to 25% of women will be transferred away from Portiuncula, given their need for specialist services.

“My fear is that a number of women who are not high-risk will go elsewhere just in case their pregnancy changes. This could have women from Roscommon travel further journeys to Galway and Mullingar.

“Everything should and must be done to make sure that maternity services do continue for everyone at Portiuncula and I would ask that full funding be provided from authorities that all the issues in the reviews will be tackled,” added Cllr Duffy.

“My fellow councillors and I are of one mind that Portiuncula should continue to provided necessary and vital maternity services. We will need to work together with our colleagues in Galway and HSE West and North West area to see that this work gets done.”

Independent councillor Laurence Fallon compared the situation at the maternity unit with that which saw the closure of the Emergency Department at Roscommon Hospital more than a decade ago.

“I’d be fairly certain we are on a slippery slope to the closing of the maternity unit. Rather than trying to solve the problems, they are moving away patients.

“If there was a long-term viability plan for Portiuncula, we should be able to see in six months or up to two years adequate consultancy put in place to cater for all mothers in Portiuncula.

“In many ways it’s a mirror image of what happened in Roscommon in 2011. It’s a worrying time for expectant mothers in particular.”

Cathaoirleach, Cllr Domnick Connolly (Fine Gael), said he, too, wanted to support the issue and “hopes that the HSE will see the light for Portiuncula to be safe for pregnant women”.

Independent councillor Emer Kelly, also spoke in support of the concerns raised, saying, in the interest of transparency, that she works in Portiuncula but her work is not connected to its maternity services.

“It is essential that we maintain the maternity services in Portiuncula and that recommendations in the 2018 report, regarding what infrastructures should be put in place, (should be carried out) rather than moving the pregnant women to different hospitals,” said Cllr Kelly.

“It’s pushing the problem onwards rather than addressing the problem.”

Independent councillor Tony Ward spoke about the knock-on effects of the recent HSE announcement on maternity care at the hospital.

“When an announcement like this is made, consultants would be slow to take up positions there. It's a blot on the copybook, and it doesn’t make good reading,” said Cllr Ward.

“We have to keep it on the agenda, and have our Oireachtas members keep a huge effort on it, no matter what their political party.”

Fianna Fail’s Cllr John Keogh said everyone is very disappointed over the development of the past few weeks.

“Our thoughts are with all the women affected, and I think everyone's primary concern is safety. That's where the focus should be in relation to this,” said Cllr Keogh.

“Cllr Kelly mentioned there was a 2018 report and 34 recommendations in that and those recommendations were not addressed. My view is the HSE always wanted to downgrade the services at Portiuncula Hospital and now they have the basis to do so.

“I share the view with other members that this is going to spell the end of maternity services in Portiuncula unless there is a commitment from the HSE to put infrastructure in place.

“I hope that our representatives on the HSE and the West Forum highlight this and express the annoyance of the elected members over the 34 recommendations that have not been implemented.”

Cllr Valerie Duffy said she would be bringing a motion on the issue to the September plenary meeting of the council, and Cllr Laurence Fallon added that the Athlone councillors should write to the Minister for Health asking that the 2018 recommendations be acted upon, and staff put in place, to maintain and upgrade the services because of the growing population.

“It's a political decision now, because the HSE have made their decision, so we should call on the Minister and write to her and insist the maternity service is upgraded,” said Cllr Fallon.