All maternity units have been told to open to visits, Health Minister Stephen Donnelly says

Health Minister Stephen Donnelly said that he is “quite frustrated” with the lack of progress in maternity units in lifting restrictions for allowing mothers bring partners to births or key scans during their pregnancies.

Speaking this morning, he said that all maternity units have been contacted this morning and told to lift restrictions on visitations.

“I am getting quite frustrated with the lack of progress and I know that the HSE is as well,” he said.

“Paul Reid and I spoke this morning and all 19 maternity units are being contacted right now and they are being told very clearly what the guidance is from the Chief Clinical Officer, which is that at a minimum there is access for the 20 week scan, for birth and the neonatal,” he said.

The minister said that units which do not believe that it is safe to allow partners to visit must provide reasons to the Department of Health.

“Any maternity unit that does believe that is appropriate or safe at the moment must provide a case back.

“That information is being compiled as we speak and I’ll have a report on that information back from the HSE later today,” he added.

There is a growing campaign in recent weeks for partners to be allowed to join mothers at scans and during labour, with policies left up to individual hospitals.

The Minister is currently waiting on a compiled report from the HSE of the 19 maternity wards across the country and whether they have reservations in easing restrictions for visits.

The report is expected to arrive late this evening, it is understood.

Linda Kelly, who is a member of the Better Maternity Care group and gave birth to a child during the pandemic herself, told Independent.ie there needs to be further clarification of what exact restrictions are being lifted.

Ms Kelly said that there are many women who are still going into labour or attending crucial maternity appointments on their own.

She said the National Policy issued by the HSE on restrictions needs to allow partners to accompany mothers at Early Pregnancy Units, attending for pregnancy loss or those classified as high-risk pregnancies, as well as the 12-week scan.

“In the first instance, the actual HSE policy has to do what it says on the tin, which is to lift the restrictions,” Ms Kelly said.

“Otherwise, [the Minister needs to] issue a clarification statement because he is giving a lot of people false hope and that is very irresponsible,” she added.

Ms Kelly said it has not been clear whether partners are allowed to attend all stages of labour, including induction and early labour.

The Better Maternity Care group argues that from June 2, partners should be allowed to attend all antenatal appointments, as well as unscheduled emergency care incidents and that minimum time for visits should be increased to one hour daily.