No plans to return high risk pregnancy care to Portiuncula

There are no plans to return high risk pregnancy care to Portiuncula University Hospital, the HSE has confirmed.

In July 2025, the HSE announced a transfer plan for high risk pregnancies following external reviews into maternity and neonatal care at the Ballinasloe hospital, which was met with significant concern throughout the region.

At the September meeting of the HSE West Regional Health Forum, the issue was again raised by local councillors.

Cllr Dr Evelyn Francis Parsons asked the HSE for a comprehensive update on the issue, including progress on the external reviews. She also asked for information on the number and destination of women whose care was redirected.

In response, the HSE said that 11of the 12 external reviews into the care provided to women and their infants at Portiuncula were now fully complete. These review reports have been shared with the families. The 12th review was also nearing completion, while the term of the external management team, which is working on the implementation of the recommendations, was further extended until all the external reviews were fully completed.

“Overall, the 78 recommendations made to date, across the 11 completed reviews, are 98% fully complete,” the HSE said. “The focus in recent months has been on the sustainability of improvements and planning for the departure of the external team."

A key part of this has been clinical leadership, with two clinical directors appointed from September 1st 2026, the HSE said.

Regarding the transfer of higher risk maternity care, a monthly cross-site clinical meeting between Portiuncula and Galway University Hospital is in the process of being re-established. While getting the exact data is challenging, the HSE predicted that the birth rate at Portiuncula would see a 10 per cent to 15 per cent reduction by the end of the year compared with 2025.

Cllr Parsons asked with almost all of the recommendations implemented, “what is now standing in the way of reinstatement?”.

“The restrictions on high risk maternity care were introduced in response to safety concerns, but now we have gone through almost the entire review process,” she said. Cllr Parsons was also critical that the HSE could not say where women with high risk pregnancies are now receiving care.

“These women have not disappeared, they are receiving maternity care somewhere,” she said. “That brings us back to equality and equity.” Recent data from the CSO showed that there was a real urban rural divide in terms of maternity services, Cllr Parsons added, “with the west and north west having the highest median distance”.

“Of course, counties like Roscommon are particularly impacted,” she said. “There is a great geographical burden placed on these women.” 

In response, Ms Ann Cosgrove, integrated healthcare area manager for HSE Galway and Roscommon, said that there were no plans to reinstate high risk pregnancy care at Portiuncula.

“We have pathways in place that are working. The two maternity departments are working very closely,” she said. She added that the HSE had not seen "any significant increases in Galway or in Mayo or in any other places in our region” following the transfer of high risk care.

“We have had links with the Midlands region and there have been no significant increases there. That's probably reflective of the birth numbers falling to some extent across the country.” 

Ms Cosgrove said that patient safety is the HSE’s primary concern, and this informed its decision, along with advice from the National Clinical Programme.

Cllr Parsons agreed that safety was paramount but added it could not be divorced from access to care.

“These restrictions have become a permanent reconfiguration of maternity services,” she said. “It is very disappointing to see there isn’t a reinstatement plan, with safety being paramount.” 

Cllr Alan Harney said it was welcome that 11 of the 12 external reviews had been completed and that 98 per cent of the recommendations were implemented. He said that there had been significant capital and staff investment in the maternity unit at Portiuncula.

“Safety has to be paramount and we want to see these improvements sustained,” he said, and he called for a roadmap for the full restoration of services. He also asked for information on the number of pregnancy bookings at the hospital.

“It is positive that the bookings are increasing again at Portiuncula. Women are voting with their feet in terms of where they want to have their maternity care. I am in touch with a huge amount of women throughout the region who have had a very positive experience there.” 

Ms Cosgrove said that it was the HSE’s aim that the external implementation group would be wound down by the end of the year.