Some hospitals are still unable to provide epidurals on demand to women giving birth due to a shortage of doctors.
The Association of Anaesthetists called yesterday for an urgent recruitment campaign in India and Pakistan to cope with the situation. The Labour Party also called for a recruitment drive abroad.
St Luke's Hospital in Kilkenny is unable to provide epidurals between midnight and 8 a.m., the South Eastern Health Board confirmed yesterday. Letterkenny General Hospital is also unable to provide epidurals at certain times when anaesthetists are unavailable, according to the North Western Health Board.
In Tralee General Hospital, the provision of epidurals "is dependent on the availability of consultant anaesthetists and the medical requirements of the patient," the Southern Health Board said. However, the Erinville and St Finbarr's in Cork are providing a full epidural service.
Dr Eamon Tierney, secretary of the Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland, said a recruiting team should be sent to "our traditional recruiting grounds, India and Pakistan", to recruit junior doctors.
Some hospitals have recruited extra NCHDs and have been able to provide epidurals. They include Mayo and Sligo general hospitals.
The South Eastern Health Board said that its efforts to fill vacant posts at St Luke's have included "contacting every major hospital and health board in Ireland; advertising via the Internet; recruitment fairs in Germany and Spain; professional journals in the UK and Europe; and overseas recruitment agencies."
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