An internal report from the country’s largest maternity hospital warned that parts from an obsolete scanner could become dislodged and land on a new-born infant with “catastrophic” effect.
The fluoroscopy machine at the National Maternity Hospital in Holles Street has been in use since 2006 and was supposed to be replaced before it was ten years old.
However, the machine continued to be used well past its “end-of-life” causing patient transfers, cancellations, and rescheduled appointments.
An internal report – published here by Right to Know – warned of the risk of parts from it becoming dislodged due to its age.
It said: “Should this happen while an infant was being examined, the resulting injury could likely be catastrophic as these parts are generally very heavy (in the amounts of kilos).”