The Southern Health Board was yesterday urged to ensure a proper interim epidural service for public patients in its Cork hospitals pending the appointment of five additional anaesthetic registrars in the new year.
The call came from Mr Batt O'Keeffe, Fianna Fail South Central TD and SHB member, who welcomed the sanctioning by the Minister for Health, Mr Cowen, of the five new positions, but said the service would continue to be limited until their appointment.
"I take the new service to be a seven-day, seven-night service but there is going to be an interim period when the existing three-day service is going to be curtailed even more - is there any way that can be remedied? People are very concerned. I'm getting calls from people asking will the full service be in place within a month or six weeks. Are we talking about a service one day a week or half a day a week or are we talking about no interim service?" he asked.
Mr Tony McNamara, SHB Cork University Hospital general manager, said the board had identified funding for a comprehensive epidural service in the Erinville and St Finbarr's Hospital as a priority area in 1999.
The reduction in service follows a court case in another health board area which resulted in the SHB's insurers, Irish Public Bodies, saying it could not offer cover on obstetric senior house officers maintaining epidurals.
"In order to maintain the highest safety standards, the board is taking an initiative to ensure that only properly trained anaesthetic staff commence and maintain epidurals," said Mr McNamara.