Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I thank the guests. I refer to the expert group report which gives a number of different options as to the number of specialists, such as whether there should be two specialists and an obstetrician or one specialist and an obstetrician. What would be the most workable solution from among those proposals? My second question is about a person who is suicidal. One of the consultants this morning said that if a male is admitted to hospital with suicidal tendencies there is a course of treatment to be followed. I assume a pregnant women would be prescribed a course of treatment. Can a women who is 18 weeks pregnant be managed successfully to bring her safely to a time when the baby can be delivered and survive? I refer to a UK report, the CMAC report, which contains ten recommendations. It states: "Women whose pregnancies become complicated by potentially serious medical or mental health conditions should have an immediate referral to the appropriate specialist centres of expertise as soon as their symptoms develop". The report further states: "The assessors have been struck by the lack of appropriate referral of potentially high-risk women and lack of consultant involvement remains a problem in the care of women with serious medical problems".

Reference was made to referrals to GPs. Are the delegates of the view that enough is being done in terms of referring pregnant women in these types of circumstances to specialists at an early stage?