Mattie McGrath Demands Paul Reid Clarify Hospital Visitor Rules
Mattie McGrath demanded that Mr Paul Reid be asked to clarify inconsistent hospital visitation rules, criticising bans on partners at childbirth, scans and family visits to elderly patients. He said hospitals were "operating like independent republics" and called for a single instruction allowing one family visitor and partners during labour and scans.
Main demand
Mattie McGrath pressed the government to bring Mr Paul Reid forward for clarification on why different hospitals are operating different visitation policies. He highlighted prohibitions on partners attending births and scans and argued that one unified rule should apply across all hospitals.
Impact on families and elderly patients
The deputy described situations where relatives and partners are excluded, saying it is "shocking" that people in facilities such as South Tipperary-Generes can have no visitors and may have to die alone. He said limited patient numbers should allow at least one family visitor and a partner to be present for labour and scans.
Government guidance cited
A respondent noted that Paul Reid and the HSC have issued general guidance on maternity hospitals advising that partners should be allowed to attend births and scans and to attend paediatric or neonatal ICU when a child is in care.
Local autonomy for infection control
The reply stressed that local hospitals must retain the ability to make decisions on occasion, with senior nurses or consultants in charge of infection control able to restrict access where outbreaks or specific issues arise.
Vaccination and outlook
Speakers expressed hope the issue will ease as staff and increasing numbers of adults are vaccinated, suggesting the restrictions may not be long-term as vaccination coverage rises.
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Thomas, I want your government to bring Mr Paul Reid before you and get clarification as to why visitation and accompaniment of partners, especially for child birth, labour or scans, is not allowed in different hospitals. They're operating like independent republics. They won't even respond now with the cyber issue to letters. I mean, it's totally ridiculous that partners aren't allowed in. The hospitals now have limited numbers of patients, thankfully. You know, there's only 60 or 70 in hospital altogether. And for that matter, visitations of elderly people who are in there, at least one visitor from a family should be allowed in. This situation in South Tipperary-Generes with nobody allowed in, it's shocking that all the people have to die alone and can't have the company involved, a member of the family. And why are all the hospitals operating different policy? Surely one law must be for everyone. And as I said, with the numbers down, should be able to allow these one visitor from family and a partner to be allowed in when their wife or partner is having a baby or a sibling or somebody with them. It's totally unfair, and it needs to be clarified, and Paul Reid needs to give an instruction to all the HSC hospitals to have one plan, not different plans for every different hospital. Thanks, Deputy. My understanding is that Paul Reid and HSC have given general guidance on maternity hospitals, saying that it is allowed and indeed advised that partners should be allowed to attend the birth of their child. A scan appointment, for example, with their partner to attend paediatric ICU or neonatal ICU if their child is in there. However, it is the case and has always been the case and will always be the case that you have to allow decisions on occasion to be made by the local hospital themselves, by the senior nurse who is the person in charge of infection control or the consultant who is in charge of infection control because you will have situations where there are outbreaks or there are issues in certain hospitals and therefore they need to be able to have autonomy in making those decisions. But hopefully this won't be a problem for too long. Staff are vaccinated and increasing numbers of adults are vaccinated and hopefully we'll be able to get beyond this question.
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