Galway maternity services remain in limbo as four Portiuncula reviews yet to be completed
The HSE revealed that four of the last five external reviews at Portiuncula Hospital (PUH) remain unfinished, despite repeated assurances they would be completed earlier this year.
During a Regional Health Forum for the West and NorthWest meeting on May 26, the HSE shared an update on the latest five maternity service external reviews done at Portiuncula Hospital.
One review has been completed, two are in the final stages, while two others are in progress and expecting completion in early Autumn.
The slow rollout of the review recommendations have kept elected representatives, patients, and residents waiting with baited breath to see if the HSE will follow through with downgrades of maternity services. A total of 52 recommendations have been made thus far in light of the reviews which seek to improve documentation, teaching and training, teams and department communication.
In July 2025, the HSE announced that “high risk” mothers will be diverted to receive care at other hospitals, some being up to 90-minutes away. Since then, Galway County Councillor Evelyn Parsons has spear headed demands to have formal, written confirmation of a full reinstatement, however, to no avail.
Following a glowing feedback report in December 2025 where PUH rated 42pc higher than other hospitals in satisfaction, five reviews remained to be completed.
The reviews were expected to be completed by January 2026 according to Galway East TD Pete Roche, who serves on the health committee, and end of Q1 2026 per HSE chief executive Bernard Gloster. Deputy Roche said Mr Gloster “could not and would not” give any timelines for the resuming of full services as “there is no place for error.”
The health forum meeting this month revealed that the report from the one completed review has been shared with the family, and improvement plans are in progress – though many of the recommendations have been addressed in the past 16 months.
Upon receipt of the report, families are invited to engage with the Women’s and Children’s Network to discuss the report.
The recommendations from the two reports that are in their final stages will be circulated at the end of May to the Women’s and Children’s Network Incident Management Team, and then sent to the families.
The last two reports are expected to be published by Autumn 2026.
Upon total completion, the HSE will not be publishing the individual reports from all reviews as it would “breach the ethical requirement” with specific patient information.