There’s been further criticism of the management at St Luke’s Hospital today after a picture emerged of a bed on the corridor of the maternity floor this morning.
A staff member contacted KCLR to say it was a woman in the early stages of labour.
However, in a statement to KCLR, St Luke’s Hospital says there weren’t any patients in the corridors of the maternity unit and that they’re monitoring the situation there carefully.
Only yesterday Clinical director at St Luke’s Professor Gary Courtney said that would absolutely not happen.
Meanwhile, “Not appealing and not acceptable” is how another Consultant Obstetrician has described the maternity floor of St Luke’s Hospital in Kilkenny.
Dr Veni Yuddandi has sent a statement to KCLR today, becoming the second Consultant to publicly air her concerns over the maternity ward as a proposal has been put forward to remove beds from the ward for use by other patients.
Dr Yuddandi says the safety and dignity of pregnant women is going to be compromised if beds are re-allocated.
Sinn Fein Deputy Kathleen Funchion says she has contacted management at the hospital again seeking a meeting with them.
She, Deputy John McGuinness and Senator Jennifer Murnane O Connor met with staff and had a tour of the maternity floor yesterday to see what impact converting the former gynaecological ward to a ‘surge ward’ will have.
She says people are concerned, and rightly so.
