‘I’m only doing my duty’ says retired midwife

A RETIRED community midwife who is back working at Omagh Hospital during the worst health crisis in generations has said she is only doing her duty.

Veronica Brannigan worked for the NHS for almost 45 years before she retired at the start of November 2018.

A highly-regarded midwife who gave exceptional service to the Western Trust locally, in 2010 she set up Omagh’s Fetal Assessment Unit. This provides outpatient care to expectant mothers who have antenatal problems that do not require admission to hospital, such as raised blood pressure.

While Mrs Brannigan had already been back working part-time prior to the coronavirus pandemic, the midwife said she had no qualms about continuing on in her role despite the well-publicised risks involved.

She said, “I certainly wasn’t going to walk away from it and stay out of here in this situation, leaving your colleagues when they need more and more staff and will need more staff.
“Now’s the time experience is needed.”

The midwife said that things at the hospital were changing every day.

She said, “All of our clinics, how we deliver service… we can’t do as much of it. Our routine stuff’s nearly out the window. The consultant clinics that were held up in Enniskillen at the South West Acute Hospital have moved down here, as have some of their staff.

“It’s like they have the Covid-19 hospital and the other hospital. We’re the other hospital. Everyone that has coronavirus and becomes ill – hopefully not too many from about here – they will be in Enniskillen, not in Omagh.

“We do monitor and screen our patients as they come in here. If they have any signs or symptoms we send them on a different pathway.”

Mrs Brannigan urged other retired people who have no major health issues to consider doing what they could to help during the pandemic.

“I think people with a vast amount of experience could give a lot of help. I think I’m doing that. I feel it’s my duty as well,” she said.

The midwife admitted that there was currently a “certain amount of apprehension” among the staff at the hospital, but added, “We’re supporting each other and it’s a team effort. Mummies and babies need care, no matter what.”

She urged any patients coming in to use the maternity services to follow the government guidelines and also come on their own.

“They should not bring partners or family members at all. Family members and partners can stay in their car. Please do that. It’s protecting everybody, particularly the health workers who are needed to look after the people who are sick.

“It’s basic common sense,” Mrs Brannigan said.

With regards to Personal Protection Equipment (PPE), the midwife said staff at the hospital did have a “certain level”, but were hoping to be provided with more sooner rather than later.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank Austin McElholm and Maggie, of Curtain Couples, and Robert Ewing, of Woodvale Construction, for providing us with a supply of PPE,” she added.

Get full online edition at https://subscriber.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/subscribe.aspx?source=4&eid=f33be555-4070-437d-928c-1b7fe9d3767e