Post by Nadica (She/Her) on Nov 10, 2024 3:03:52 GMT
Covid-era restrictions at Limerick's maternity hospital lifted - Published Nov 9, 2024
By Nick Rabbitts
TIGHT limitations on visitors, in place since the Covid-19 pandemic, have been lifted at University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL).
People visiting the facility at Ennis Road on the city’s northside, had to come alone since the onset of Covid-19 more than four years ago.
Now hospital bosses have changed their policy to allow a second nominated visitor onto inpatient wards.
The move has been welcomed by Social Democrats northside councillor Shane Hickey-O’Mara, who had a motion at the September meeting of the local authority calling on Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to do just this.
He pointed out Limerick was on its own in terms of the restrictions, and said it needed to be brought in line with other maternity hospitals nationally.
He said his motion was inspired by patients from across the Mid-West including Limerick mother Jennifer Purcell.
“In the run up to introducing this motion I spoke to many parents who had difficult experiences as a result of restrictions in UMHL. They shared the isolation and loneliness they felt in addition to the damaging effects that this had on their mental health and that of their families. When introducing the motion, I shared these testimonies with council and soon after the motion passed it snowballed with more and more parents contacting me from all over the Mid-West,” said Cllr Hickey-O’Mara.
It was on October 16 last that UMHL confirmed it was placing the visitor restrictions under review.
And last week, hospital management introduced the change.
Cllr Hickey-O’Mara said this has brought relief to many families.
“While we never received a response from the Minister for Health, it’s heartening that this change to visitor restrictions was brought about due to the activism of so many parents from across the Mid-West, as well as the political support of Cllr Elisa O'Donovan and Social Democrats health spokesperson, Róisín Shortall,” he said.
The first-term councillor did express disappointment that as part of the reforms, under 16s are still not permitted to visit.
This, he says, poses difficulties for families without external childcare and those parents who have extended stays in UMHL.
“But it’s certainly a step in the right direction and an example of how grassroots campaigns can achieve real change,” he concluded.
By Nick Rabbitts
TIGHT limitations on visitors, in place since the Covid-19 pandemic, have been lifted at University Maternity Hospital Limerick (UMHL).
People visiting the facility at Ennis Road on the city’s northside, had to come alone since the onset of Covid-19 more than four years ago.
Now hospital bosses have changed their policy to allow a second nominated visitor onto inpatient wards.
The move has been welcomed by Social Democrats northside councillor Shane Hickey-O’Mara, who had a motion at the September meeting of the local authority calling on Health Minister Stephen Donnelly to do just this.
He pointed out Limerick was on its own in terms of the restrictions, and said it needed to be brought in line with other maternity hospitals nationally.
He said his motion was inspired by patients from across the Mid-West including Limerick mother Jennifer Purcell.
“In the run up to introducing this motion I spoke to many parents who had difficult experiences as a result of restrictions in UMHL. They shared the isolation and loneliness they felt in addition to the damaging effects that this had on their mental health and that of their families. When introducing the motion, I shared these testimonies with council and soon after the motion passed it snowballed with more and more parents contacting me from all over the Mid-West,” said Cllr Hickey-O’Mara.
It was on October 16 last that UMHL confirmed it was placing the visitor restrictions under review.
And last week, hospital management introduced the change.
Cllr Hickey-O’Mara said this has brought relief to many families.
“While we never received a response from the Minister for Health, it’s heartening that this change to visitor restrictions was brought about due to the activism of so many parents from across the Mid-West, as well as the political support of Cllr Elisa O'Donovan and Social Democrats health spokesperson, Róisín Shortall,” he said.
The first-term councillor did express disappointment that as part of the reforms, under 16s are still not permitted to visit.
This, he says, poses difficulties for families without external childcare and those parents who have extended stays in UMHL.
“But it’s certainly a step in the right direction and an example of how grassroots campaigns can achieve real change,” he concluded.