Enda Kenny (Mayo, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

For example, in the new hospital grouping, the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital is associated with the Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise, and this speaks for itself. The HIQA report clearly points out that much has been done in the last period. As the Deputy knows, all eight of the recommendations will be fulfilled. New management is in place in Portlaoise and a memorandum of understanding has been signed with the Coombe to establish the country's first managed clinical maternity network in the Dublin midlands hospitals group, which is important. The quality and patient safety position in the hospital has been filled; risk management has been strengthened; on-site incident reporting has been introduced; 16 additional midwives are in place to reduce the ratio of midwives per baby born; and approval has been given for further midwifery posts to include shift leaders in delivery and posts in diabetics and ultrasonography. The director of midwifery in place is seconded from the Coombe; a training and needs analysis was undertaken and a training plan has been developed with Athlone Institute of Technology; all midwifery staff have attended cardiotocography, CTG, training, which is important; guidelines are in place for oxytocin administration; and a programme of diagnosis and treatment for neonatal hip dysplasia has been implemented. The national mandatory reporting of serious patient safety events is in place; an improved patient satisfaction survey completed in 2014 indicated that patients were much happier with the quality of the maternity services they receive in Portlaoise; the maternity service has developed a multidisciplinary communications guideline; and a mandatory multidisciplinary customer care workshop was provided. The Deputy might comment on whether he agrees with the view that the Portlaoise emergency department should be closed at 8 p.m. I do not agree.

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