General Information and Developments
General Information and Developments
How many beds are in my local unit?
The size of maternity units varies from small departments within general hospitals to very large stand-alone maternity hospitals. The two midwifery-led units are the smallest units, with 2 rooms in Cavan and 3 rooms in Our Lady of Lourdes.
| Public: | Select Unit From Menu |
|---|---|
| Semi-private: | Select Unit From Menu |
| Private: | Select Unit From Menu |
How many midwives, doctors and consultants work at my local unit?
Midwives provide most of the care during pregnancy, labour, birth and after the birth. Therefore, they far outnumber obstetricians. Midwives are the key expert professionals for care throughout a normal pregnancy and a straightforward labour, and in some units women have the option of attending midwife-only clinics and receiving midwife-only care throughout. In other units women automatically see a doctor as well as a midwife at every visit. In addition, maternity units typically have anaesthetists, paediatricians and neonatologists to provide care when necessary.
| Midwives: | Select Unit From Menu |
|---|---|
| Consultant obstetrician/gynaecologist: | Select Unit From Menu |
| Consultant paediatricians/neonatologists: | Select Unit From Menu |
| Consultant anaesthetists: | Select Unit From Menu |
| Non-consultant hospital doctors (junior doctors, SHO, registrars): | Select Unit From Menu |
How many babies are born in my unit each year?
This varied from less than 150 births in Cavan midwifery-led unit (MLU) to over 9,000 births in NMH (Holles St) in 2014 and 2015. We asked for the total number of mothers – 64,000 – as well as the total number of babies born – 67,700. We also asked for the split between mothers having their first baby and mothers having their second or subsequent baby. More recent figures from the Maternity Patient Safety Statements (MPSS) show slightly lower numbers of women giving birth (approximately 60,700) and babies being born (approximately 61,900). More information is available in our statistics section of the site.
| Births 2014 | Select Unit From Menu |
|---|---|
| Births 2015 | Select Unit From Menu |
For 2014, from our detailed statistics survey
| No. of mothers (total) | Select Unit From Menu |
|---|---|
| No of first-time mothers | Select Unit From Menu |
| No. of second- and subsequent-time mothers | Select Unit From Menu |
| No. of babies born to all mothers | Select Unit From Menu |
| No. of babies born to first-time mothers | Select Unit From Menu |
| No. of babies born to second-and subsequent-time mothers | Select Unit From Menu |
From the MPSS
| No. of mothers (total) 2016 | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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| No. of babies (total) 2016 | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
| No. of mothers (total) 2017 | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
| No. of babies (total) 2017 | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
How many twins, triplets & quads are born in my local unit?
A multiple pregnancy is considered a complex pregnancy, and although all 19 maternity units provide care for twin pregnancies, not all provide maternity care for the more complex cases. Triplets are always born in select maternity units with the appropriate expertise and services. Twin pregnancy care does not fall within the scope of the 2 midwifery-led units in Ireland. Multiple births from our survey for 2014 and 2015 are given below.
| Twins (sets) 2014 | Select Unit From Menu |
|---|---|
| Triplets (sets) 2014 | Select Unit From Menu |
| Quads (sets) 2014 | Select Unit From Menu |
| Other 2014 | Select Unit From Menu |
| Twins (sets) 2015 | Select Unit From Menu |
| Triplets (sets) 2015 | Select Unit From Menu |
| Quads (sets) 2015 | Select Unit From Menu |
| Other 2015 | Select Unit From Menu |
The Maternity Patient Safety Statements (MPSS) provide more recent figures for multiple pregnancies but not the breakdown between twins, triplets etc.
| Total multiple pregnancies 2016: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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| Total multiple pregnancies 2017: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
Capital expenditure planned (expansion, relocation, upgrading works etc.)
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Planned or mooted reduction or withdrawal of maternity services in the area
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Service user charter or similar document pertaining to the Patient Charter and/or the Maternity Services Strategy
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Unit/hospital policy on Open Disclosure
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Participation in the HSE's 'Your Service, Your Say' scheme
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Mission statement
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Awards received in recent years
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Status of the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) and time frame for achievement
We asked the maternity units about how far along they were in the BFHI process. This is what they reported to us. Note that after the hospitals reported to us, the HSE withdrew funding for the scheme in 2017; at the time of writing this guide, no alternative has been put in place.
| Not participating: | Select Unit From Menu |
|---|---|
| Certificate of participation / membership: | Select Unit From Menu |
| Certificate of commitment: | Select Unit From Menu |
| Assessed and designated as a BFH: | Select Unit From Menu |
| Timeframe for achievement: | Select Unit From Menu |
Training on and adherence to the International Code of Marketing of Breast Milk Substitutes
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Breastfeeding awareness & promotional activities run by the unit
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Pre-conceptual services: advice on optimal health/fertility before pregnancy
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Family planning
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Genetic counselling
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Sterilisation
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Incontinence
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Consumer representation (please give details including committee titles)
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Is there a Maternity Service Liaison Committee? If so, what is the proportion of recent service users (< 5 years) on this committee?
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Home birth
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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DOMINO care
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Early transfer home
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Midwifery-led care
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Affiliation to the direct entry midwifery programme, BSc midwifery programme, higher diploma/postgraduate programme, return to midwifery programme etc.
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Postnatal depression/perinatal mental health
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Publication of a widely available consumer accessible annual report
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Participation in clinical audit (2011-2016)
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Participation in research studies (2011-2016)
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Participation in clinical trials (2011-2016)
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Infection control
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Continuing education for staff
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Provision of full information for women on benefits and risks of routine policies and practices
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Review of clinical guidelines (frequency, involvement of consumers etc.)
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Changes made in 2011-2016 to clinical guidelines for routine care and common conditions
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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Other relevant information
| Response: | Select Unit From Menu Show All |
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