Fianna Fáil TD for Cavan and Monaghan Deputy Niamh Smyth has questioned the Minister for Health Simon Harris about the delay in introducing the 20 week full detailed anatomy scan at Cavan General Hospital.
Deputy Smyth says, “An anomaly scan, given at 20 weeks, also known as the “Big Scan” should be automatic for all women. Professor Fergal Malone the new Master of the Rotunda Hospital has already said that he believes a situation in which women in some smaller hospitals don’t receive the basic 20-week anomaly scan is leading to unnecessary infant deaths.”
“The Rotunda for instance does anomaly scans for all their patients but all hospitals don’t have the resources. Cavan General Hospital is one of them. I understand that there have been problems sourcing the personnel to carry out this scan in Cavan. More recently I’ve heard claims that the personnel in Cavan’s case were identified but the RCSI hospital Group didn’t approve them.”
“Our Lady of Lourdes in Drogheda and Cavan General were given funding in 2013 for four staff including a new consultant to offer this scan routinely but have been unable to recruit staff. This scan needs to be part of the package for all women and expectant mothers in rural Ireland.”
Deputy Smyth concluded, “Pregnant women who choose to have this scan at private clinics can pay up to €200. I know that Cavan General Hospital have been very pro-active in referring women for such a scan. The Minister for Health Simon Harris needs to put pressure on the RCSI group to get this scan available to all female patients in Cavan General Hospital. I have submitted a Parliamentary Question to the Minister for Health on this issue. I have also submitted an Oral Question which I hope the Minister for Health Simon Harris will answer in person once the Dáil resumes next week.”