The father of a baby who died in Portlaoise Hospital in 2012 has said the Health Service Executive needs to move away from its culture of containment.
The HSE report into the death of Mark Molloy was published today at the request of his parents, more than two years after it was completed.
Mark Molloy Snr told RTÉ’s Today with Sean O'Rourke that he believed lessons have been learned over the last few years but he said there should be a push to introduce a standardised approach in all maternity hospitals.
"30% of the babies delivered in Ireland are from the regional hospitals and yet 70% of the claims are coming from those hospitals," Mr Molloy said.
“So there's a huge disparity there in the performance of the larger and the more regional hospitals.
“And for such a small country there's no reason why we shouldn't have a standardised approach and procedures across the board," he said.
"The report identifies a number of significant failings into the death of Baby Mark. The HSE reiterates its unreserved apology to the Molloy family for these failings and the distress and anguish caused to them," the HSE said in a statement.
"While this report has been published two years after its completion, the findings of this report and its 43 recommendations have been implemented in the maternity services in Portlaoise and in other maternity units throughout the country.
"Since its completion in 2013, the Systems Analysis Review (along with the subsequent HIQA report) has resulted in many improvements in Portlaoise Hospital's maternity unit including new management and governance arrangements; the development of quality safety and risk management structures ... and the appointment of additional midwifery and specialist nursing staff for maternity services."
"The proposed establishment of managed clinical maternity networks over the coming months will further augment the clinical governance and leadership within maternity units with the objective of delivering high quality patient-centred services to women and babies.
"Many families have been affected by adverse outcomes in our maternity services over the past number of years. The HSE deeply regrets the distress and anguish caused to these families for its failure to respond in a timely and empathic way to these issues.
"It is the Molloy family's expressed wish that the publication of Baby Mark's report will ensure that recommendations will be implemented nationally, inform the National Maternity Strategy and, most importantly, prevent unnecessary suffering, injuries and loss of life," the HSE statement added.
