Medical Negligence
Portiuncula Hospital: External review into delivery of babies
2 minute read
The HSE has announced external reviews into the delivery of nine babies at Portiuncula University Hospital in County Galway.
In a statement, the hospital revealed that seven babies have experienced hypoxic ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) over a two-year period, with six of them requiring neonatal hypothermic treatment, also known as neonatal cooling.
Additionally, two stillbirths occurred during this period and the care provided in those cases is currently under external review. The HSE further confirmed that six babies with HIE were delivered in 2024, while one case occurred in 2025.
HSE commissions external reviews into the delivery of babies at Portiuncula Hospital in Galway
A “highly experienced management team” has been appointed to oversee maternity services at the Galway hospital. Led by external consultant obstetrician Dr Mark Skehan, the team will manage and support all aspects of maternity, gynaecology and neonatal services.
Regional Clinical Director HSE West & Northwest apologises
Regional Clinical Director HSE West and Northwest Dr Pat Nash apologised to the women and families in a statement:
“We are making these changes now to ensure that the maternity service at Portiuncula is as safe as possible for mothers and their babies. 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.
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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