Every imported question, contribution and motion, with its classification. Unflagged, uncertain and not-yet-analysed records are all included so the analysis can be checked independently.
Thank you, Minister, for this. I will be brief because I know that we do not have much time. I do not see anything written about the update on a mother-and-baby unit, which is absolutely essential to postnatal care, particularly for women who are experiencing psychological illness. Will you give us an update on that?
Minister, we all welcome and appreciate efforts to improve maternity services, but you must recognise that there are mixed messages. I am being contacted by senior midwives and clinicians who are really fearful for the future of maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital and angry about the manner of communication by…
Thank you, Minister, for your statement. You referenced the words "equity" and "inclusion". In your statement, you said that the Department has endorsed the NICE guidance on caesarean sections, but I do not see any reference to the NICE guidance on the fetal anomaly screening programme, in terms of a quadruple or…
Thank you, Minister, for the statement. Communication will be key across areas where the free-standing midwifery-led units are based. If they transition to community-led midwifery hubs, how will the Minister ensure that the population is brought along with them?
I welcome the statement and the comprehensive report from Professor Renfrew. Minister, you spoke about proposals for the partnership and programme board and the implementation of a consolidated regional action plan on maternity and neonatal safety. Minister, the same recommendations could be made on many other gynae…
Minister, given that one in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage, what plans are there to support and care for women and their families who have lost a baby during pregnancy or soon after birth so that they do not have to be in wards where other families are celebrating the birth of a newborn? What mental health…
Like others, I thank the Minister for his statement. You say in your statement that trusts have already been asked to take "immediate action" to address critical issues. Can you provide more detail on those actions to the House today, and will you keep a close eye on the key issues that require immediate action?
I really welcome the Minister's clarity on the issues with Daisy Hill maternity services. My colleague Liz Kimmins, other members of the Daisy Hill future group and I will work with him to ensure the stabilisation of the services there. Minister, your statement talks about improved data and information systems. How…
Thank you, Principal Deputy Speaker. There seems to be a bit of work to go on the recommendations in Professor Renfrew's report. You have referenced the funding that is required quite a bit. I am looking specifically at the regional action plan. How does that fit in with your hospital reconfiguration framework…
I welcome the statement from the Minister this morning and his commitment to rebuilding and transforming our maternity and neonatal services. I also welcome his reiteration of the importance of women being heard, valued and supported. How does the report suggest that we ensure that midwifery-led and home-birth options…
I thank the Minister for his statement. It is very concerning to hear that stress and distress was reported by all staff groups who participated in the review, especially midwives. We heard from Diane Forsythe about specific issues in the Southern Trust. If the psychological safety of all staff is a critical priority…
I thank the Member. If she were a fly on the wall in the ministerial office in the Department, she would note that, over the past four and a half months, staff morale has been a particular interest of mine. I have very much picked up the impression that, of the various groups of professionals who deliver healthcare,…
I thank the Minister for the statement. I especially welcome his commitment in the House to the continuation of maternity services at Daisy Hill Hospital. He acknowledged in his statement the importance of the staff. As he will be aware, staff have been subjected to a great deal of stress over the past few weeks with…
Professor Mary Renfrew presented to the all-party group on women's health last year on the brilliant work that she was carrying out, so I am delighted to hear today's announcement. The RQIA review, with its 23 recommendations on governance, was published in April 2023. Does the Minister have any update on whether any…
This is a very important and timely report that will help to inform and improve maternity services across Northern Ireland. In early 2020, Minister, your predecessor, Robin Swann, announced an increase in pre-registration and midwifery training places from 90 to 115. The first of those recruits entered the workforce…
Again, perhaps there are two things. I apologise if Committee members feel that they were not given early enough sight of the report. However, I do not see this being the be-all and end-all of the discussion. I would welcome the Committee's taking a detailed look at the Renfrew recommendations. As regards…
I thank the Minister for coming to the House and making the statement. I noted that he said that the report was actually published. Hopefully, the Health Committee will get a chance to go through it in detail. It was bad form not to give Committee members sight of the report. Given that the RQIA's governance report…
I thank the Member for her question. There are two aspects to the answer. What can we do? We have to talk, because we have to understand why the Southern Trust is in the situation that it is in. We need to understand what it intends to do about it. Once we understand the issues — I understand them to relate…
Minister, on the back of the last question, we have a serious issue in the Southern Trust, where maternity services, not just at Daisy Hill Hospital but in Craigavon Area Hospital, are in jeopardy. That raises a fundamental question for you, your Department and, indeed, the trust. It cannot all be left at the door of…
I thank the Member for his comments. On his question, as recently as yesterday, I had a meeting with a large number of officials — we are talking about not just midwifery but nursing and allied health professionals; the gamut of healthcare delivery sections — and they have gone away to see how we can improve the…
I thank the Minister for his statement, which, fundamentally, references the Renfrew report. I would have thought that, in the interests of openness and transparency, that could have been circulated to Health Committee members before its being published on the website for the public today, not least because buried…
Mr Deputy Speaker, given the nature of the subject matter, with your indulgence, I suspect that the statement may exceed the normal duration. I welcome the opportunity to update Members on maternity and neonatal services, including the report by Professor Mary Renfrew entitled 'Enabling Safe Quality Midwifery Services…
On a point of order, Mr Deputy Speaker. Yesterday, during questions to the First Minister, the First Minister once again said the line that has been proven to be incorrect. At the weekend, the information was clear that the teenager subjected to inappropriate contact by Senator Niall Ó Donnghaile was 16 years of age.…
Thank you, Mr Deputy Speaker. I want to draw attention to an event happening tomorrow at Westminster that will highlight the importance of two paused growth deals for which we are still awaiting confirmation on funding. As we all know, the Causeway Coast and Glens and Mid South West growth deals are the only two deals…