Madam, – The somewhat inconsistent approach to the risks surrounding misdiagnosis of foetal death leaves one dumbstruck. The inability of the Irish health authorities to come up with a reasonable risk management policy is little short of amazing.
Dr Barry White (the HSE’s national director for quality and clinical care) proposes a policy to implement a second scan. Presumably, the second scan would not be carried out by the person who performed the first scan?
In conversation with a German mid-wife prior to writing this letter, I was informed that every case of a dead baby in Germany has to be confirmed by two doctors in the hospital. How senior are these two doctors, I have no idea. Perhaps we could implement a similar or better policy?
This should not take six months to document. I could source the phone number of a German hospital for the HSE (or Department of Health) to follow up on! – Yours, etc,
Madam, – I note that a pregnant mother was incorrectly informed that her unborn child was dead, but that it was “nature’s way of getting rid of the bad ones” (Home News, June 10th).
It’s a pity that nature apparently does not have a way of getting rid of bad HSE staff, or indeed bad government ministers. – Yours, etc,