Mattie McGrath (Tipperary, Independent)
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625. To ask the Minister for Health the measures he is taking to address the safety and capacity issues within the maternity hospital network in view of recent HIQA reports that identified serious failings in maternity care and significant service deficits; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [2974/20]

Simon Harris (Wicklow, Fine Gael)
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The Health Information and Quality Authority’s National Standards for Safer Better Maternity Services were published in 2016. These Standards were developed to support the implementation of the National Maternity Strategy in its aim to provide woman-centered, integrated, high quality team-based care to women and to ensure that maternity services meet the needs of the women and newborns by delivering safer, better and standardised services. 

HIQA has recently published reports of its monitoring programme against the National Standards at each maternity unit/hospital, along with an overview report into maternity services nationally. While the findings of these reports are largely positive, identifying high levels of compliance against most of the Standards assessed, the reports identify areas where further work is required.  

My Department is engaging with the HSE in order to ensure that a plan is developed to implement the recommendations. This will inform necessary service improvements and ensure that the positive findings are not only enhanced but sustained into the future.