HEALTH MATTERS 31 obstetrics


Clinical Programme for Obstetric Care


A clinical programme for Obstetric care has been established as part of a major initiative by Dr Barry White, HSE National Director of Quality and Clinical Care, to standardise care across a range of medical specialities. The Obstetrics programme will define standardised care and audit for all aspects of Obstetric care in maternity services.


Prof Michael Turner of the Coombe Women’s and Infants University Hospital has been appointed as HSE National Clinical Programme Director for Obstetricsand Gynaecology. Prof Turner will be working with the HSE and with a range of clinical practitioners across Ireland in developing the work of this programme in the months and years to come. The programme will be responsible for developing a standardised approach to all aspects of obstetrics, the need for which was seen in the recent response to misdiagnosis of early pregnancy loss in a number of hospitals. In response to the reporting of cases of misdiagnosis of early pregnancy loss, a number of actions were agreed in early june by the HSE in conjunction with the Department of Health & Children. These actions are being taken to ensure the safe management of early pregnancy loss across the country and are ongoing at the moment. A joint letter from the Dr Tony Holohan, Chief medical officer, doHC and dr Barry White, National Director for Quality and Clinical Care, HSE, was issued to all public and private Obstetrics facilities advising them to put in place immediate measures to ensure that the decision to use drugs or surgical intervention in women who have had a miscarriage diagnosed must be approved by a Consultant Obstetrician. The HSE has undertaken to review cases over the past five years to determine the number of patients who were recommended drug or surgical treatment when the diagnosis of miscarriage was


“prof turner will be working with the hse and with a range of clinical practitioners across ireland in developing the work of this programme in the months and years to come.”


been made in error, and where subsequent information demonstrated that the pregnancy was viable. The HSE gave guidance to all maternity services in relation to dealing with calls from concerned women and all Maternity Units nationwide made specific information and support services available to women who were concerned by media coverage and wanted information on their own care and experiences. Prof Michael Turner, commented; “The diagnosis of miscarriage is made on the basis of a woman’s history, physical examination and investigations including ultrasound. It is important to treat the woman who is pregnant and not to consider the scan in isolation.” As part of the work of the Obstetrics Programme, a guidance document for the


+ Prof Michael Turner


management of early pregnancy loss will be developed in conjunction with the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.


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