Catherine Connolly (Galway West, Independent)
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408. To ask the Minister for Health further to Parliamentary Question No. 509 of 12 July 2016 (details supplied), the details of each of the recommendations, in tabular form; if same have been implemented in full; if not the reason; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [6892/17]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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As this is a service matter, I have asked the HSE to respond to you directly. However, all recommendations are being acted upon and implementation is well underway.

I would also like to assure the House that the safety and quality of maternity services is a priority for this Government. The Galway Report also recommended that the Department of Health develop and implement a National Maternity Services Strategy. The publication of Ireland’s first NationalMaternity Strategyjust over a year ago demonstrates a new and enhanced focus on maternity care at both policy and service delivery level. It provides a roadmap for how we can improve maternity and neonatal care in the years ahead in order to promote and assure safe, standardised and high quality care.

The National Clinical Effectiveness Committee (NCEC) has endorsed and published a number of Clinical Guidelines for the health system, arising from the Galway Report, including a Maternity Early Warning System Guideline (2014), Maternity Clinical Handover Guideline and a Sepsis Guideline (2014). In addition the NCEC has commenced the development of a National Clinical Guideline for Intrapartum Care as recommended by the Maternity Strategy. This Guideline is being chaired by Professor Michael Turner. Monitoring of implementation of the Guidelines is a continuing process by the HSE.

I might add that since December 2015, each maternity hospital, including the National Maternity Hospital, is publishing a monthly Maternity Patient Safety Statement.