A whistleblower has appealed to the new Minister for Health to meet to discuss allegations of unsafe practices at the Maternity Department of University Hospital Galway (UHG).

The midwife wrote to Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill to convey “deep concerns” about UHG’s Maternity Department, which she highlighted in several protected disclosures since 2018.

The protected disclosures alleged behaviour and practices at UHG that “jeopardise the health and safety of pregnant women”.

“Unfortunately, instead of addressing these serious concerns, I have faced repeated penalties, investigations and the production of false evidence and defamation,” the minister was told.

“This treatment has not only affected my professional life but has also taken a significant toll on my mental health. I am currently under psychiatric care due to the bullying and ostracism I have endured,” she said.

The midwife had contacted both Stephen Donnelly and Simon Harris when they were Ministers for Health in previous Governments.

It’s understood Bernard Gloster, head of the HSE, was made aware of the protected disclosures and alleged bullying.

In her latest appeal to Minister for Health, the midwife asked Jennifer Carroll MacNeill to meet with her.

“It is crucial for me to discuss not only the contents of my protected disclosure but also the broader implications of an unsafe environment for pregnant women and the pervasive culture of bullying within our healthcare system,” she said.

Caption: UHG.

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