Home
birth
group in legal threat
By Michelle McDonagh
The group, Parents for Choice in Birthing, is threatening to take
legal action against the Western Health Board over the legality
of its decision to suspend the homebirth scheme at University
College Hospital Galway.
The group, who held a protest outside the health board's headquarters
at Merlin Park, in Galway, yesterday, called on all members of
the board to reconsider their decision to end the scheme now that
they have been better informed about the project and its importance.
A spokesperson for the group said all members of the board's acute
services sub-committee had now received information about the
importance of the scheme, its cost effectiveness and its significance
in relation to fulfilling the national policy on birthing.
The
group say it is now up to board members to admit they have made
a mistake and reverse their decision. They are calling on the
board to carry out an independent evaluation similar
to the scheme at the National Maternity Hospital in Dublin.
The spokesperson said: "The WHB are making a big mistake
if they think that Parents for Choice in Birthing are going away.
"We are now taking legal advice on the legalities of the
suspension and we are prepared to do whatever it takes in order
to ensure the scheme is fully
reinstated."
Ms Anne Irwin, of Patients for Choice, said they had tried to
negotiate with the health board but it had refused to budge. They
were seeking advice and she felt that legal proceedings would
not be far away as the 1970 Health Act guaranteed national services
for women who opted for home births.
The youngest member of yesterday's protest was three days old
Oscar who was born to Galway couple Ms Helen Farrissey and Mr
Charlie Brehony at their home - one of the last babies to be born
under the scheme.
The couple joined the protest because they believe every woman
should have the choice of giving birth
at home.
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