HSE launches external reviews into delivery of nine babies at Portiuncula University Hospital

The HSE has launched external reviews into the delivery of nine babies at Portiuncula University Hospital, Co Galway.

In a statement on Monday evening, the HSE said that seven babies born at the hospital since 2024 had hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE), resulting in six of those babies being referred for neonatal hypothermic treatment.

In 2023, two stillbirths occurred at the hospital and the care provided in relation to these two deliveries is also currently being reviewed externally.

HSE West and North West has appointed a “highly experienced management team” led by external consultant obstetrician Dr Mark Skehan to oversee and manage maternity services at the hospital over the coming months.

The team will report directly to the HSE West and North West regional management and be fully responsible for managing and supporting all aspects of maternity/gynaecology and neonatal services at PUH.

Dr Pat Nash, Regional Clinical Director HSE West and North West said: “I want to firstly apologise to all those women and families for whom this news will be worrying or upsetting. We are making these changes now to ensure that the maternity service at Portiuncula is as safe as possible for mothers and their babies.

“External reviews are currently underway into the delivery of nine babies in PUH. Since 2024, seven babies had hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE), resulting in six of those babies being referred for neonatal hypothermic treatment, also referred to as neonatal cooling. 

“In 2023, two stillbirths occurred at the hospital and the care provided in relation to these two deliveries is also currently being reviewed externally.

“This incidence of HIE, resulting in referral for neonatal cooling treatment, is significantly higher than that observed nationally or internationally for a similar time frame,” he added.

“HIE has many causes and is essentially the reduction in the supply of blood or oxygen to a baby’s brain before, during, or even after birth. Therapeutic Hypothermia is now considered the standard treatment for term infants with moderate to severe HIE. 

“This treatment involves cooling a baby quickly after birth and keeping them cool for several days. It slows the brain’s metabolism and can prevent further damage. The sooner body cooling starts, the better the outcomes for the baby.”

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Regional Executive Officer HSE West and North West, Tony Canavan, said: “Our biggest concern is for the women who have had, and will have, their babies in PUH, and for their children. 

“From today, we have appointed a highly experienced team, led by an external consultant obstetrician to manage and lead the maternity service at Portiuncula University Hospital to ensure as safe and high quality services as possible, while we await the outcome of the reviews currently underway.  

“We are concerned by these cases and we believe it is important that we review the care provided. The purpose of the reviews currently underway is to examine all of the clinical findings and care provided to our patients. 

“We know this is a distressing time for women whose care is under review and we apologise for any added distress that this news brings. We are providing support to the families involved.

“Each of these reviews are independent and external to PUH and the West North West region. Once completed, we will meet with each family to share the review finding with them.”

If women who are attending the unit have questions, they can contact the HSE on 1800 807 008, and arrangements will be made for them to receive a follow-up call from the maternity service.