GP Recommendation in D7/D1?

tinycrocodile

I am about 6 weeks pregnant and looking for a decent GP near home to do this with. I've been with Jervis St Medical Centre for years but I have never been that happy with them, so I'm looking to change now.

I heard great things about the practice at 53 Mountjoy St (which is very close to home) but I tried to make an appointment and they told me their panel was full. They suggested Dr Coleman on Berkeley Road.

My husband has been a happy customer of IFSC Medical Centre for years but it's a bit far away with so many GPs on our doorstep.

I haven't contacted the hospital yet as I was hoping to do all this through the GP but I realise it might be best to plough on with that - I think I'll probably be trying for the Domino scheme at the Rotunda. I have no private insurance and no medical card.

So any GP recommendations in the north inner city for maternity/delivery/childcare? Just looking for someone who I could have a bit of a rapport with.

mary1978

it might be a bit far for you but i am going to glasnevin fmaily practice and it is nice, plenty of gp's and opening hours seem good.

http://glasnevinfamilypractice.goldenpages.ie/

it is in phibsborough, on road heading out to finglas.

January

If you want the Domino scheme ring the Rotunda asap tomorrow morning to book an appointment. I can recommend the medical centre on O'Connell Street near the bridge, up above the pharmacy on the Ulster Bank side.

maccers.inc

I went to Dr Coleman on Berkeley Road last year (pregnant September 2010, baby born May 2011) and I was very happy with the care I received. I was seen everytime by Caroline, a very nice and professional midwife and consulted with Dr Catherine Coleman for a couple of visits when there was a difficulty with baby lying sideways; called oblique, I had never heard of it before. They have 8am appointments which suited me with work at the time.
I also changed from a different GP at 10 weeks gone because I did not feel I was being cared for at all, so I was much happier to move somewhere were I felt they got to know me and were genuinely concerned for me and my baby; the other GP's office was just a factory. However, the Berekley can be quite busy at times and is not fancy at all so I think you could call into them and ask to speak with Caroline or any other staff member before you decide what to do. If you are not detered by the old building, I would highly recommend them. I also had difficulty breast feeding and they were very helpful (ended up pumping for 4 months but it worked well for me).

When you are on maternity leave with the baby, you need to make a 2 week and then a 6 week visit with the baby, so I think it makes life easier to be attending a GP near where you live or where you can get to easily when it is just you and the pram.

I went public in the Rotunda (no medical card or health insurance) and I did combined midwife/GP care so I went to the midwives clinic in the Rotunda for scans and visits, urine & blood pressure etc and then the GP every other visit. I did not want to do the Domino scheme as this was my first baby and I did not want to go home 6 hours after giving birth. It suited me as I learnt a huge amount from the staff on the ward in the couple of days after baby came. In the Rotunda, I never waited more than 30 minutes (and that was only once) for the midwife clinic, I saw the same midwife for every visit and when there was a problem, she brought me straight into the consultant with no waiting. She even came to visit me for a quick chat on the ward after the birth.

This was all free, and although the public ward is busy, they try to keep it quiet at night and the night staff even took my baby for a couple of hours so I could get some sleep. If your birth is uncomplicated they seem to offer you the chance to go home asap if you want, even not on the Dominio scheme. Personally I found being there with the other mums comforting and I was able to learn with them as well.

So whichever GP you end up with, just think about what you would like and try to match that with their philosophy. I was like you, with a walk in GP clinic in the city centre and while they are fine for flu etc, I don't think they are set up for continued care needed in pregenancy, they seem to deal with a much more transient population.

Anyway, I wish you the very best of luck! I'll try to answer any other questions if you want.
Cheers,
Fiona.

lily1981

Hi All
I'm looking for advice. I'm in 7 week pregnant and when i went first time to GP two weeks ago my visit was very quick and dr didn't really give me many infor. He didn't confirm my pregnancy where I heard later that he should, he didn't give me a letter to the hospital so I had to go back there in this same day, he only took my medical history and said " I presume you are pregnant so here is a number to the hospital ring there and get appointment" .So after that visit I rang to hospital, downloaded registration form, filled it out, had to go back for GP's letter and I faxed documents to hospital to get appointment. Could someone tell me is that normal or mayby I should change GP?
Any advise would be great

maccers.inc

Hi,
firstly I think you should make this a new post as other people may not see this and reply to you. However, from what you have described, I would not be happy with the GPs care of you. Even my original GP who I was not happy with gave me a pregnancy test to confirm (pee on a stick) and then gave me a letter for the hospital to hand in. Also gave me leaflets with info on pregnancy.

I don't know if you know anyone else in your area, or any friends who are pregnant at the moment, but you should speak with them. If you don't know anyone, perhaps contact the Options clinic (I think it is called that) - they give advice on pregnancy; they may be able to recommend a GP in your area. But again, from what you described, it does not sound like you are being cared for the way you wish. It is a long 9 months / 40 weeks so you need to feel like you can trust your GP as you need their help and advice. It is hard to trust someone you feel is not on your side, so I would try talking to your GP and explain your issues or find another GP. All your pregnancy care is free as well under the combined GP/hospital care system.

Check out the citizens information website:
http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/birth_family_relationships/before_your_baby_is_born/


Best of luck
Fiona.

lily1981

Thank you very much Fiona for advice and link it is very helpful, I'm going on tusday to the hospital so I will ask there about any recommended GP in my town, however on my Medical Card is the GP'name so will I have to change the Medical card or it doesn't matter?
Thanks once again
lily

FunkSoulSista

Hi everyone, I'm moving and just recently found out I'm pregnant, need to go to doc to confirm, anymore recommendations for Dublin 7 please? I'll be near the Navan Road. Anybody been to Phoenix medical?

Thanks