Restrictions to ease at Cork maternity hospital in 'huge step forward' 

From Tuesday 19 October, there is unrestricted inpatient visiting all day for a nominated visitor or partner at CUMH. Picture: Denis Minihane. 

Visitor restrictions are set to change at Cork University Maternity Hospital (CUMH) from today, permitting partners to visit patients from 7am to 11pm every day.

In August, restrictions at the hospital were changed to allow for unrestricted inpatient visiting from 3pm to 8pm each day.

From today, at CUMH, partners or a nominated visitor will now be permitted to visit from 7am to 11pm daily.

The recent changes were welcomed by maternity care campaigner Linda Kelly who described it as “a huge step forward”.

Currently, at the hospital, partners or nominated visitors are welcome to attend early pregnancy scans, the 12-week scan, the anatomy scan and when the patient is in established labour.

A visitor may also attend the ward with the mother post-delivery for one hour.

At CUMH, parents can both attend the neonatal unit separately with unrestricted visiting times while the high dependency unit also has unrestricted visiting.

The hospital says that partners are also welcome to attend any other situation where there is reason to anticipate that the visit is likely to be associated with stress or to involve communication of particular emotional significance.

Under the most recent changes, unrestricted visiting is now also available for inpatient visitors from 7am to 11pm as of today.

Linda Kelly said that the changes have helped to ease anxieties.

“#BetterMaternityCare welcomes CUMH reverting to pre-pandemic access for one nominated support partner," she said.

"It has helped to ease a lot of anxieties for expectant families in the Cork area."

However, she said they would urge the hospital to review guidelines in the case of emergency presentations.

Sinn Féin TD Donnchadh O Laoghaire also welcomed the changes, stating that he is “really glad but most of all relieved” for the mothers and their partners.

“Well done to those who have campaigned tirelessly to see this happen,” he said.

At last. At long last.

Im really glad but most of all relieved for all the mothers & their partners at CUMH.

I hope other hospitals will follow and we can build on this.

Well done to those who have campaigned tirelessly to see this happen https://t.co/49XUOMsnae

— Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire (@Donnchadhol) October 18, 2021

Mr O Laoghaire previously shared his personal experience with maternity restrictions and told the Dáil of how his pregnant partner had to attend an emergency appointment alone.