St Vincent’s hospital dismisses concerns over ‘Catholic ethos’

The chairman of St Vincent’s hospital has dismissed as “groundless and sensational” claims that the nuns who own the hospital are trying to “take control” of Irish maternity services.

Jimmy Menton said it was ridiculous to suggest the hospital's stance on the proposed transfer of the National Maternity Hospital (NMH) from Holles Street to its campus "raised the spectre of a Catholic ethos" controlling the obstetric care of female patients.

“It is regrettable that media sources have been fed a groundless, sensational tale of nuns attempting to control Irish maternity services,” he said in a communication to St Vincent’s staff.

The two hospitals are locked in a protracted dispute over the terms of the NMH’s move from Holles Street to the St Vincent’s campus. Both are voluntary institutions with their own board and Holles Street is resisting demands by St Vincent’s that its governance be subsumed into that of the overall hospital.

Concern about governance

The Institute of Obstetricians intervened in the row this week by expressing concern about the governance structure proposed by St Vincent’s, which is owned by the Religious Sisters of Charity.

"Catholic-controlled hospitals around the world forbid the provision of modern contraceptive services, IVF, sterilisation operations and gender reassignment surgery," said chairman Dr Peter Boylan.

“We also have concerns in this respect about the implementation of the Protection of Life in Pregnancy Act.”

The Health Service Executive (HSE) representative on the project board planning the transfer of Holles Street, obstetrician Prof Chris Fitzpatrick, also expressed support for the maternity hospital, saying it should be able to retain its board "in the interest of patient safety".

There were also increasing ethical considerations “in relation to complex issues in pregnancy” and these needed to be taken into account by those with long experience in maternity services, he said.

Archbishop of Dublin

St Vincent’s hospital is wholly owned by the Religious Sisters of Charity, two of whose nuns sit on the board. Under its founding legislation, the NMH is chaired by the Catholic Archbishop of Dublin though the incumbent, Dr Diarmuid Martin, is not active in the role.

Mr Menton said St Vincent’s was satisfied the work of NMH consultants would not be compromised by the values and ethics of his hospital, “which are in no way inconsistent with obstetric and gynaecological services legally available in Ireland”. It made no sense for the NMH, a much smaller operation than St Vincent’s, to be placed “right in the centre of our campus” with no integration of clinical standards or corporate governance. This would lead to “unnecessary risk” to patients of both hospitals, he claimed.

The St Vincent’s proposal provided for clinical autonomy for the NMH, an independent budget, autonomous financial control and maintenance of its “brand”.

The recently published national maternity strategy recommended that voluntary maternity hospitals retain their governance structures as well as the mastership system of clinical direction.

The planning application for the new maternity hospital at St Vincent’s cannot be submitted until the current row is resolved. The board of St Vincent’s meets on Thursday to discuss the issue.