- Maternity services require distinct governance arrangements
The Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) is calling upon the managements, in St. Vincent’s and National Maternity Hospitals, to resolve, immediately, any difficulties leading to delays in finalising the relocation of the National Maternity Hospital.
In doing so, the INMO is affirming the need for maternity services to have a separate/distinct clinical/management governance arrangement, consistent with best practice, to ensure optimal services for mothers and babies.
The new National Maternity Strategy, and other recent reports about maternity services, all clearly identify the need for strong, separate and distinct clinical governance structures, for maternity services. These recommendations must be paramount in all arrangements underpinning the relocation of the National Maternity Hospital to the St. Vincent’s campus.
As we evolve our maternity services, in line with the new Strategy and the findings of other reports, the INMO believes it is imperative that maternity care be the subject of clear, accountable and dynamic leadership, including a Director of Midwifery, as part of a separate governance stream.
Speaking today INMO General Secretary Liam Doran said:
“The current stand-off, between the managements in the two hospitals, cannot continue, any longer, and must be addressed without delay. In any final structure, underpinning the relocation of the National Maternity Hospital, maternity services must continue to have clear autonomy to ensure optimal services are available, at all times, to mothers and babies”.
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