Letters to the Editor: Disparities in the provision of maternity services

The site of New National Maternity Hospital on Sisters of Charity Land at St Vincent's University Hospital in Dublin. Picture:Gareth Chaney/Collins Photos

We’ve been hearing a lot about our maternity services over recent months yet I wonder have we been hearing enough from those who can tell us most. How much do we actually know about the functional disparities in the provision of quality maternity care across our regions?

I mean relative to what the rest of Europe might consider the basics: Adequate numbers of beds and sufficient space inwards before and after birth; provision and ongoing maintenance of up-to-date clinical equipment; free and adequate drop off/pick up and parking facilities; full staffing with fully trained midwifery teams and family health nurse liaisons to GP, PHN, and gynaecologist; good air quality; the same quality of holistic care — both clinical and supportive — across the services and regions, regardless of
location, public or private access, age, or other circumstances.