Leo Varadkar (Dublin West, Fine Gael) | Oireachtas source

Much is being done to improve maternity services further across the country. Additional funding of €2 million, provided in 2015, is being used to fill front-line posts. In 2016, the HSE will again focus on maternity service improvements and implement managed clinical maternity networks across all hospital groups. The establishment of such networks will ensure that smaller maternity units, like Kerry, will be supported to provide high quality, safe services. An example of this initiative which was recently established is the memorandum of understanding agreed between the Coombe Hospital and the HSE to establish a managed maternity network within the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group. This will provide a single maternity service operating over two sites, led by the Coombe. This arrangement will serve as a model for other hospital groups.

We now have more midwives employed than ever before in the State, 1,438, which is an increase of 228 since 2011. Similarly, there has been an increase of five consultant gynaecologist and obstetricians, which represents an increase of 10.94 whole-time equivalents.

The HSE is also establishing a national women and infants health programme, modelled on the successful national cancer control programme. The programme will span obstetrics, gynaecology and neonatal services across community, primary and secondary care. This represents a fundamental reorganisation of maternity service governance structures and will, I hope, ensure the delivery of safe, high quality and sustainable maternity services. A recruitment campaign for the programme’s management team, comprising a programme manager, a clinical director and a director of midwifery has commenced.

In addition, my Department is currently developing the country's first national maternity strategy. This will provide a policy framework for the women and infants programme and strategic direction for the optimal development of maternity services to ensure that women have access to safe, high quality maternity care in a setting most appropriate to their needs. I have identified the publication of the strategy as a priority for this year.

Additional funding is being made available for the further development of maternity services in 2016. The use of this funding to develop the quality and safety of maternity services further will be finalised in the coming weeks in the context of the HSE's national service plan for 2016. I am aware that staffing requirements for a dedicated obstetric theatre have been identified by Kerry General Hospital and this will be considered by the HSE in finalising priorities for the 2016 service plan.

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