Families seeking access for partners for maternity services are staging a protest at Sligo University Hospital.
The issue of partners not being allowed attend maternity service appointments and for long periods ahead of the birth of children is being highlighted by an advocacy group in response to some restrictions still being in place at a number of hospitals across the Country.
Similar protests took place earlier this week at a number of Hospitals including Letterkenny University Hospital in Donegal.
It’s understood that the HSE have contacted the country’s 19 maternity units to tell them partners must be allowed into the 20 week scan, births and neo-natal visits.
Fiona Fenton is one of the protesters at Sligo University Hospital today.
She been telling Ocean FM news that their groups – The Association for Improvements in the Maternity Services Ireland, are staging a small protest due to the Covid-19 restrictions:
Meanwhile the Minister of Health has confirmed that five of the country’s 19 maternity units are not fully compliant with HSE guidelines on easing restrictions for partners.
The HSE’s Chief Clinical Officer has asked the units to facilitate a minimum 30 minute a day visit – as well as having the partner present for anomaly scans, the birth of the child and access to neo-natal units.
Minster Donnelly says the reason for Letterkenny being non-compliant is due to the large number of Covid cases in the local area and the usually high number of staff that are currently on sick leave and not working.
