The HSE has not yet rolled out a planned national early warning system designed to deal more effectively and quickly with rapidly deteriorating maternity patients.

The health executive had previously indicated that such a system would be introduced in the first quarter of this year - however it is now unlikely to be introduced for a number of months.

The report of the HSE inquiry into the death of Savita Halappanavar, recently presented to her husband, is believed to highlight a failure by staff at University Hospital Galway to recognise early on her symptoms of serious infection and to deal effectively with her clearly deteriorating condition.

Planned national guidelines for the management of seriously ill maternity patients would be designed to deal more effectively with these clinical scenarios, and it is expected that the HSE report into Savita's death, due to be published shortly, will call for major improvements in the management of such cases.

A HSE spokesperson told irishhealth.com that its Clinical Programmes in Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Anaesthetics and Critical Care, over the past year, had been developing a care pathway for the critically-ill woman in obstetrics and gynaecology, and this included a standard early warning system for obstetrics and gynaecology nationally.

A HSE spokesperson said significant progress has been made with the implementation of the Irish Maternity Early Warning System (I-MEWS). 

"A national standard has been agreed and training in its use has been completed for all 19 maternity units. It is currently being piloted and it is anticipated that it will be rolled it out nationally in the coming months."

However, at a press launch of an early warning system for medical and surgical patients in February, HSE officials said it was was planned to have the maternity early warning system in place by the end of March.

When Savita Halappanavar died of septicaemia at University Hospital Galway last October 28, the early warning system was in place at the hospital for medical and surgical patients, but not for maternity patients.

The HSE says Ireland will be one of the first countries to introduce a national early warning system in maternity services.

The Irish Times reports today that the HSE has now formally apologised to Praveen Halappanavar for deficiencies in the care it gave to his wife and the events at University Hospital Galway that contributed to her death.

Mr Halappanavar's representatives are expected to meet with the Chairman of the HSE inquiry, Prof Sabaratnam Arulkumaran, this week to discuss the inquiry report. Aspects of the final draft of the report have been criticised by Mr Halappanavar.

The HSE says the final version of the report will be published once Mr Halappanavar has been given an opportunity to provide his input. The coroner's inquiry into the case will re-open in Galway on Monday.

Meanwhile, a motion before the IMO's annual conference in Killarney starting tomorrow calls for support for regulations for abortion services where there is a real and substantive risk to the life of the mother, a key issue in the aftermath of the death of Savita Halappanavar.

'Underemphasis on Savita's condition'

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