Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2021
1881. Deputy Róisín Shortall asked the Minister for Health if he will consider on grounds of equity allowing provision for medical card holders to access specialist women’s healthcare treatments (details supplied); and if he will make a statement on the matter. [15765/21]
View answerWomen who have a medical card are entitled to a range of services including general practitioner services, prescribed drugs and medicines, all in-patient public hospital services in public wards (including consultant services), all out-patient public hospital services (including consultant services).
In relation to care under the specific areas the Deputy has mentioned, it is recommended that women who experience menopausal symptoms which they find difficult to deal with see their GP. GPs can offer treatments and suggest lifestyle changes if a woman has severe menopausal symptoms that have a significant impact on her everyday activities.
In relation to lactation consultants, Midwives and Public Health Nurses are trained and are skilled in providing breastfeeding support commencing in the antenatal period in the delivery of antenatal/breastfeeding education. Midwives support the establishment of breastfeeding immediately after birth and help mothers learn the skill of breastfeeding in the immediate post-natal period. Public Health Nurses, many of whom also trained as Midwives and Paediatric Nurses, are trained and skilled in providing breastfeeding support throughout the post-natal period.
Every new mother is seen by a Public Health Nurse within 72 hours of leaving hospital and follow-up support is provided to breastfeeding mothers. Approximately 200 staff working within the HSE e.g. Midwives, Public Health Nurses, medical doctors also hold an additional International Board Certified Lactation Consultant qualification.
Integrating routine lactation consultant support has been shown to improve the experience of care that mothers receive and breastfeeding initiation and duration rates in Ireland and internationally. Breastfeeding clinics and online breastfeeding support meetings are provided by the HSE and HSE funded voluntary breastfeeding organisations around the country. Facilitators of these groups have International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant qualifications or are experienced trained peer counsellors.
The HSE also run a free online breastfeeding advice and information service staffed by experienced International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants 7 days a week, there was a 38% increase in demand for the service in 2020 with almost 4,000 breastfeeding questions answered via live chat or e-mail.
In addition to these supports, the HSE also have a cohort of posts based both within maternity services and within public health nursing services which are dedicated lactation consultant posts so as to provide specialised care for mothers experiencing challenges with breastfeeding which is over and above that referenced above. These dedicated posts also support the development of the skills and knowledge of other front-line colleagues in the area of breastfeeding.
Finally, the Women’s Health Taskforce which was established in September 2019 with the aim of improving women’s health outcomes and experiences of healthcare, has a key role to ensuring women’s health issues can be given more consistent, expert and committed attention within the health system and the Department of Health. This includes listening to women through a national ‘Radical Listening’ exercise and hearing their suggestions for women’s health in Ireland. These findings will be shared in the coming months.
