Colm Burke (Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

I am a bit sceptical about the report because report after report has been issued over the past 15 years. One can go back to the Hanly report of 2003, which I raised at last week's meeting, which sets out that we would 170 consultants by 2012. We currently have whole-time equivalents of 114 consultants. The proposal in this report is for another six consultants for the various hospitals. What about the ratios of deliveries to the number of consultants in the bigger hospitals in Dublin and Cork? We have not even started to look at that issue. At present, quite a number of staff in maternity units are agency staff. We have done nothing to try to deal with the challenge of junior doctors not finding it attractive to work in maternity units. That has not been dealt with in the report.

On the issue of adverse events, the idea is that, in such instances, parents would get answers in the fastest possible time. I know a review group has been set up to look at adverse events, but 18 months later no final report is available. In some cases a team has been set up to examine adverse events which seems to be under significant pressure and does not always get the necessary backup to ensure all the issues related to adverse events are dealt with. I am not clear whether there are proper structures set up in each unit to deal with adverse events. I would like some explanation as there is nothing in the report as to how we are dealing with this issue. This is the major issue leading to litigation. When people still do not have answers after 12 months, they consider the litigation route. That is when things seem to close up. The impression is being created that when adverse cases arise, all the information will be given out as soon as possible, but that is not what is happening.

Last week, I raised the issue of stress levels for staff arising from adverse events. Have we sufficient support for staff when an adverse events occurs? I also raised the issue of the level of support for staff when a matter goes to litigation. I have heard of cases where staff were told about an event a week before the case relating to it came for hearing, and no real support was provided to them. I know of staff who have left the service because they felt they did not get that support when they needed it. What are we doing about that? We have some great staff in all units but they are at the coalface. It is fine for management to say this is how we will deal with adverse events but they do not have to deal with it in the core system or in the public domain afterwards. We are not doing enough for the staff who have to deal with these issues. We need answers on the issues I have raised.