How does it work?

NordieinDublin

Hi

Hoping for a bit of advice. I'm living and working in Dublin but I'm from Newry. I've just flu d out I'm pregnant (after two years if trying) and need to understand how my healthcare will work down here.

Is it free if I dont have insurance or do you think I should plan to have my baby back in NI on the NHS?

Thanks
S

Madisson

If you go public here it will be free so the choice is yours really

Das Kitty

Personally, I'd go back to NI given the choice.

NordieinDublin

Thanks both

I really don't know what to do. I am going to see my GP today so hopefully they will be able to advise me on what to do. I get free healthcare through work, but I don't really understand how it works. I get my general healthcare and prescriptions for free but have had to pay to see specialists/hospital visits. The healthcare system is mental down here!

Do most people go public then?

catrionanic

I know that up north you get a lot more scans etc during the pregnancy. I don't know how the set-up is down here with aftercare, eg. home visits from the midwife post-delivery.

I'm still a year or two away from my first pregnancy myself, fingers crossed, but I know I'll definitely be seriously considering heading back up north for the delivery.

I wonder how it would work though with the antenatal care - would you have to go back up north for every appointment and every scan, or could there be some cross-over of records between your Dublin GP and the northern maternity hospital?

I suppose it's only an hour or so to Newry so not such a bit deal for you, if you do have to go back up for all appts.

Moonbeam

I would go up north too , the levels of care appear a lot better .
If you decide to go down here then after gp visit ring the hospital and book your appointment .
You can prob book in the north and south .
To give you an idea I had 5 hospital appts on my last baby he was born @42 weeks .

livinsane

Im going public [in Cork] and couldn't be happier with how my healthcare has been. Everything including my first doctor's appoinment has been free. Doc took my details first day to send off to the hospital and within a week I had writted confirmation from the hospital of four scan appointments, two ante natal classes and a breast-feeding clinic. So the only things I've had to book are my doctor's appointments. I suppose it depends on the level of risk in your pregnancy. Im not sure if how it works if you are high risk so others might disagree that this level of care is sufficient but for my thankfully unproblematic circumstances, it's perfect.

NIMAN

I know a few people who live in border areas who went into the North to have their babies.

Some perceive the care to be better, but I cannot see how that is true. We have had 2 so far, and the care we got could not have been any better from the health care professionals in the South. You do get more scans in NI though.

Be aware that if you decide to have your baby in NI, are you going to move the baby back to Dublin straight away? How will you cope with the nurse visits? What address will the child be registered at? Will you be claiming child benefit North or South?

I know around the border areas a lot of NI people who have moved out use NI addresses for a lot of things, including 'grannying' to get their children into NI education system.

Its all your choice, but if you plan to live and raise your child in Dublin, then I'd be inclined to just give birth in Dublin too. Best of luck with whatever you choose.

Moonbeam

livinsane wrote: »

Im going public [in Cork] and couldn't be happier with how my healthcare has been. Everything including my first doctor's appoinment has been free. Doc took my details first day to send off to the hospital and within a week I had writted confirmation from the hospital of four scan appointments, two ante natal classes and a breast-feeding clinic. So the only things I've had to book are my doctor's appointments. I suppose it depends on the level of risk in your pregnancy. Im not sure if how it works if you are high risk so others might disagree that this level of care is sufficient but for my thankfully unproblematic circumstances, it's perfect.

That is exceptional rather then the rule.
I have had 3 and never had any of that done for me.


There is usually only 1 home nurse visit when you get home to do the heel prick test.

catrionanic

Moonbeam wrote: »

That is exceptional rather then the rule.
I have had 3 and never had any of that done for me.


There is usually only 1 home nurse visit when you get home to do the heel prick test.

Do you mind me asking what the situation was re: scans? how often did you have them?

Madisson

Im public in the rotunda and ive found the midwives and doctors are great. I have negative blood and they literally hound me for blood samples to make sure e everything is ok. Ive been really happy with how ive been treated.

Considering you live and work here I would personally go to a maternity hospital here. If you went into labour early or had a problem and you werent up north you would have to go to one of the hospitals here anyway and they wouldnt have any of your history.

The nhs is obviously far better organised than the hse but I would think about convenience.

Moonbeam

catrionanic wrote: »

Do you mind me asking what the situation was re: scans? how often did you have them?

1 main scan @ about 22-24 weeks and a dating scan done at the 1st hospital visit at about 14 weeks. (Holles St Semi Private) then at some visits they do a little mini scan and if you are admitted for any reason during the pregnancy except hyperemesis they do a mini scan. I reckon I had 2-3 miniscans that take about 20 seconds.
Average consultant visit was about 90 seconds,while in the q we were actually timing how quick people got in and out!

On my last I went through the midwife led clinic and had just the 2 scans in total. Average visit was about 20 minutes the midwives are complete pets.

NordieinDublin

Thanks for all the advice ladies. I spoke to a friend if friend who's a midwife who recommended going mid wife led care in Holles St. She's a midwife and that's where she had her care so I reckon it's st be good. I also called Rotunda to see what the Craic was with private prices, here's the shocking prices I learned:
Consultation fees €2,500
Every night spent in hospital €1,000
Normal Delivery €1,498
C Section Delivery €1,646
Doesn't include epidural or anaesthetic if you need them. Defo won't be going private then!!!!!

Moonbeam

I did midwife led care in Holles St for my last and will do for my next too.
You have the same midwife for every visit and she is lovely.
Your health insurance covers a lot of the above costs.

PuddingHead

livinsane wrote: »

Im going public [in Cork] and couldn't be happier with how my healthcare has been. Everything including my first doctor's appoinment has been free. Doc took my details first day to send off to the hospital and within a week I had writted confirmation from the hospital of four scan appointments, two ante natal classes and a breast-feeding clinic. So the only things I've had to book are my doctor's appointments. I suppose it depends on the level of risk in your pregnancy. Im not sure if how it works if you are high risk so others might disagree that this level of care is sufficient but for my thankfully unproblematic circumstances, it's perfect.

Same public in Cork and my own doc apps are the ones I've had to make myself. Didn't get a breast feeding clinic but when I was speakin to my doc at app 1 she said consider my options and book via the cumh if I wanted to.

Had my dating scan at 16 weeks... We thought it was 12 lol and had a scan every four weeks except at 32 weeks.

My oh's sis and sis in law were the same as me. Public in Cork. So I think the question of RoI v NI depends on hospitals rather than state