The HSE is undertaking a review of its public safety information for parents regarding baby carriers and sling safety, this newspaper has been informed. The HSE also confirmed it is working with the Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (CCPC) on the issue.
At the HSE national patient safety alerts (NPSA) committee meeting in June, members discussed a “recent coroner’s court recommendation” to raise awareness of safety advice.
The HSE NPSA committee is a multi-agency, multidisciplinary committee under the governance of the Chief Clinical Officer. Its purpose is to oversee the identification, development, publishing, dissemination, and evaluation of critical safety information to support and improve patient safety within the HSE and its funded services. The committee is supported by the HSE’s patient safety together (PST), which is the Executive’s national patient safety learning and improvement programme.
Meeting minutes noted that the PST would explore “a potential collaboration for shared learning” with the HSE National Women and Infants Health Programme and HSE Child Health Public Health/National Healthy Childhood Programme on the safety issue.
A HSE spokesperson told the Medical Independent it is currently undertaking work to review and expand existing “parent-facing information” resources on safe sleep and baby carrier and sling safety, “following tragic deaths investigated by the coroner here and internationally.”
“In addition, we are preparing further communications with relevant healthcare professionals and practitioners,” they added.
The spokesperson said the HSE is also working with the CCPC “around any necessary safety actions or alerts that might be feasible or required”.
The HSE website currently includes guidance regarding baby carriers and slings (see: www2.hse.ie/babies-children/child-safety/choking-strangulation-suffocation/baby-carriers-sling-safety/).
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