INDEPENDENT BOARD Sisters of Mercy unlikely to have any involvement in the running of the new National Maternity Hospital

By Fergus O'shea
Irish Sun
April 29, 2017

https://goo.gl/SwmLZ6

National Maternity Hospital

Professor Chris Fitzpatrick

RELIGIOUS leaders are unlikely to have any say over the running of the new National Maternity Hospital, a spokesperson has claimed.

The Irish Sun contacted the hospital with a series of questions over the controversy which has seen two high-profile medics quit their board posts in recent days.

Professor Chris Fitzpatrick said on Friday that doctors will find it “very difficult” to have clinical independence working in a hospital that is owned by a religious organisation.

Dr Fitzpatrick stepped down from his role on the project board of the National Maternity Hospital in solidarity with Dr Peter Boylan and expressed his concerns about the Sisters of Charity having ownership of the €300m taxpayer-funded facility.

But, while the hospital would not comment on their decision to step aside, it did move to allay fears of clerical interference on the St Vincent’s site.

“Any legal medical procedure will be carried out at the new maternity hospital,” the spokeswoman said.

“There will be clinical and operational independence in the provision of maternity, gynaecology, obstetrics and neonatal services, without religious, ethnic or other distinction.”

When asked to confirm that the Sisters of Charity would have no say in the running of the hospital, the spokeswoman said:

“Yes. It will be run by an independent board.”

However, the hospital could not rule out entirely that no member of the Catholic Church would sit on that board.

“The St Vincent Healthcare Group and the National Maternity Hospital  will nominate four members each, and another member will be an independent obstetrician or international standing,” the spokeswoman explained.

“It is impossible to predict whether any of these people will be members of the clergy but it does not seem very likely.”

Speaking on Today With Sean O’Rourke on RTE Radio one, Dr Fitzpatrick said: “I was concerned and have been concerned in relation to the ownership and governance model that has emerged from recent negotiations.

“I very much share the view of Dr Peter Boylan and felt I’d no alternative other than to resign from my position on the project board.

“I’d like to emphasise that I registered my concerns about this almost a year ago to the day about this, I spoke about this publicly to the media and I was encouraged by the National Maternity Hospital to address those concerns in relation to the governance structures that were being discussed at the time with St Vincent’s Healthcare.

“This is the first maternity hospital to emerge out of the new government strategy and it’s the first maternity hospital being build in this century.

“I think it’s absolutely critical in relation to maternity services that there must be a distinction and separation between church and medicine, particularly when it comes to female reproductive healthcare.”