Concern has been expressed about the safety of patients at one of Dublin's main maternity hospitals after it emerged that some expectant mothers were being sent to a nearby hotel because of bed shortages.
A number of women have been sent to the Jury's Inn on Parnell Streeet due to overcrowding at the Rotunda Hospital. Image: Irish Times.
Support group Patients Together said today it had received confirmation from the Rotunda hospital that, as of yesterday evening, several patients had been sent to the Jury's Inn on Parnell Street because of a shortage of space at the hospital.
The group said it was extremely concerned how this would impact on patient safety and hygiene. It also questioned how these patients would be accommodated should their circumstances change.
The Health Service Executive said this evening that due to the unprecedented level of demand at the Rotunda, a number of short term initiatives had been implemented.
These included the provision of additional alternative accommodation for "low risk" expectant mothers, the HSE said.
The executive said there had been a 14 per cent increase in birth rates at the Rotunda hospital this year, with 830 births occurring in the hospital in August alone.
"This figure compares with an average of 550 for the same period last year and is well beyond all projections of growth made," it added.
The HSE said the emergency initiatives also included the provision of 14 additional midwives.
