private or public in limerick

bumpity

please help!!!
just found out i am pregnant.
no idea whether to go public or private in limerick....
any advice????

Melion

It makes no difference whatsoever.

Moonbeam

It depends,I only have 1 friend that went public in Limerick and they said never again and are going private on their 2nd.
I think you need to do what you can afford and are happy with,there will be tales of woe and good tales same as everywhere.

cynder

I went 3 times public in limerick and they were great. i have a few friends who are due this month and next month and they are all going public in limerick.

Cat Melodeon

I'm going to be switching to Limerick at around 25 weeks as we're moving to Limerick this summer. I went public on my first in Kilkenny (we have private insurance) and found the standard of care excellent there. From everything I've read about Limerick, I have no fears about the public care there either. Personally, I really don't think it's worth the expense of going private. Anyone I know who went there and had problems in their pregnancies were referred on for immediate consultant appointments just like a private patient would be. I've heard rumours that on low-risk or 2nd pregnancies, you can attend the midwife clinic rather than having to see a doctor each time - I'm hoping to get in with them.

Negatives I've heard about Limerick are that the place had some really damning reports into the level of care there back in 2003 that made it to the national press and since then measures have been taken to guarantee the staffing levels are maintained at safe levels (it's a problem in every hospital what with the HSE recruitment freeze). It's also not the fanciest of buildings, but you'll have to put up with the shabbiness whether you are public or private. Maybe the private rooms are a bit nicer, but as there's no guarantee you'll get one, is it worth it?

The only other thing I've heard conflicting reports on is breastfeeding support. Typically, those who wanted to breastfeed felt there wasn't enough support and those who were opposed to breastfeeding felt it was being pushed on them against their will. I think it probably comes down to your own feelings around it rather than what the hospital does.

angelfire9

I had both my girls in Limerick went public for both and have no complaints in fact from listening to stories here I'd almost say standard of care is better than some of its Dublin counterparts!!

Like CM says the building itself is kinda shabby and the lift from ground floor to the wards looks like something from Victorian times but the staff are excellent and if you encounter any problems medically they will have you with a consultant before you can blink an eye!

bumpity

hmm...that's food for thought...thanks so much everyone...am very tempted to go public...i've been told it would be 3000 to go private...seems ridiculous when you're not sure of a private room etc...just afraid that i'll regret it if there are any complications or issues as this is my first pregnancy, i'm kinda nervous about everything!!!

Cat Melodeon

bumpity wrote: »

hmm...that's food for thought...thanks so much everyone...am very tempted to go public...i've been told it would be 3000 to go private...seems ridiculous when you're not sure of a private room etc...just afraid that i'll regret it if there are any complications or issues as this is my first pregnancy, i'm kinda nervous about everything!!!

I would just say that in terms of actual health care (ie if there are complications etc) there is no difference in the standard of care between public and private. Any problems with you or your baby and you will be treated as a public patient no differently to a private patient.

What you are paying for as a private patient is the lottery of getting a private room after the birth, slightly shorter waiting times and (usually) continuity of care with a single consultant (although this does not seem to be entirely guaranteed either). The consultants that you see as a public patient are the same ones that you would see as a private patient. In a normal pregnancy (no complications) you may well be seen primarily by the midwives or by the consultants' assistants (the registrars), but if there is any question about your health, you will be referred back to the lead consultant immediately.

I'm not advocating for public over private, I just feel that many people don't appreciate that what you pay for as a private patient is really just a slightly more efficient or personalised version of the public service. to me, it is doubtful whether those little extras are worth such a substantial sum of money. The only case where private definitely does offer more is if you go private in a private hospital, where the extras are guaranteed, but I don't think there is a private maternity hospital in Limerick, just private beds in the public one.

bumpity

thanks for that advice,once again!it's so great ot be able to get opinions from people who've been there, done that!think i will go public.....i think!!!!decisions decisions!!!!it's such a crazy system, isn't it?!

bumpity

ok...decision almost made!!!!think we'll go public!
does anyone know if it's possible to get extra scans if we want to?think i heard that we could pay for them...would that be done in the maternity too?i feel like such a dope about all this stuff!!!!thanks for all the advice so far!

Cat Melodeon

You can get extra scans done privately - they're not done at the maternity hospital, there are private clinics that offer them. I've never had one (am tempted this time as my first antenatal appointment isn't until 19 weeks) and this is the company I'm thinking of going to:
http://mdu.ie/
They start at about €120 per scan.

Sittingpretty

Hello there 37 weeks gone for me and I'm private in Limerick.

Couldn't fault it so far and love that at every apt there is a scan done. In saying that did the public ante-natal classes in Limerick Regional Mat and found the midwives to be absolutely superb, knowledgeable and very open to questions and queries, VERY capable ladies.

Thankfully I have had a very healthy pregnancy but I have a friend that had her baby 3 weeks ago six weeks early, she was also a private patient with a different consultant and she found it invaluable as she had a very difficult pregnancy.

I have never gone public so I can't really compare, I can only say so far I have been very happy with the care I have received. It is expensive at 3K but you can claim 20% of that back.

Best of luck with your decision and congratulations on your pregnancy

bumpity

cm...thank you so much for all the tips...you're fast becoming my agony aunt!!!!if only you could solve all my other problems!!!gonna go check out the website now...:P

sitting pretty...how can i claim 20% back?i have health insurance with aviva but they're telling me i'd only get a max of 400 back out of the 3000 that the consultant is charging?

Moonbeam

med 1 tax form