Maternity Hospital Masters Warn Re Obstetric Crisis

The Masters of the three Dublin Maternity Hospitals have written to the Minister for Health & Children, Mr Micheál Martin T.D., conveying their concern that the present stalemate in negotiations between his Department and the Medical Defence Union on medical indemnity could result in Mount Carmel Hospital, which currently delivers 1,500 babies (approx) annually, quickly scaling down its capacity. The result of that would be that the Dublin Maternity Hospitals, which last year delivered 23,000 babies, could be completely overstretched. 

Commenting on their concerns, a spokesperson on their behalf, stated:

“The Medical Protections Society, which is the only organisation providing indemnity for obstetricians, has stated that the risk related cost of indemnifying consultants in Full Time Private Practice is likely to be set at €300,000 per annum.  Even with the intervention of the Department of Health, subscriptions could be as high as €135,000.  This is clearly unsustainable.

The Dublin Maternity Hospitals are currently overstretched and could not cope in the short-term with the 1,500 deliveries, which now take place in Mount Carmel.  The Masters believe that they have a duty to ensure that the Minister and his Department are fully aware of the crisis that could begin to arise in the latter part of this year should indemnity for private obstetrics become unaffordable”.

The Minister for Health has stated that Enterprise Liability will come into effect on February 1^st next.  The IHCA has warned the Minister that it will react if the new scheme is imposed without their agreement.  An Extraordinary General Meeting of the IHCA will take place on Sunday February 1^st to consider the position should the new scheme be introduced without agreement.