Holles Street Hospital Master Dr Rhona Mahony has hit out at the Government's hospital reorganisation plans, which she claims may be diminishing the traditional independence of voluntary hospitals.

Referring to the current process of reorganising hospitals into groups, and eventually trusts, Dr Mahony says this had gotten off to a shaky start.

"We are seeing the planned diminution of voluntary hospital status - a system that has led the way in healthcare over generations in Ireland. This effort has been particularly focused in Ireland East (one of the new hospital groups)."

Dr Mahony, writing the National Maternity Hospital's latest annual report, said the current language in this process is of centralisation, control and compliance, with little recognition of autonomy or local leadership.

She said frontline staff had been treated poorly.

Dr Mahony said we must be careful not to grow the seeds of resentment and minimise the importance of leadership.

She said reform required collaboration and a common goal. "The common goal is urgent - it is safe and excellent healthcare for all."

Dr Mahony said the 'easy availability' of raw hospital data so easily misinterpreted by current media is destroying trust and creating a negative environment.

Holles Street's Master also said the hospital has had difficulty implementing EU rules that stipulate a 48-hour maximum working week and maximum shift lengths for junior doctors.

Dr Mahony said this issue cannot be properly addressed until consultant numbers are expanded to compensate for shorter junior doctors hours. "It cannot be addressed by expanding the numbers of trainees who require supervision."

She pointed out that Ireland has the lowest number of obstetricians per head of population in the OECD, with the UK having three to four times the number of consultants compared to Ireland.

According to the hospital's annual report, 8,755 women gave birth to 8,955 infants in 2013, a decrease of just under 2.5% over 2012.

Holles Street saw 50 babies delivered over one 28-hour period last October.