Over 800 women attend new Maternity Unit at Portiuncula

MORE than 800 women received care from the Maternity Day Assessment Unit, since its opening in September last year at Portiuncula University Hospital in Ballinasloe.

The MDAU was established to enhance and streamline maternity care by providing a dedicated assessment service for women experiencing pregnancy-related concerns from 20 weeks’ gestation through to 42 days postnatally.

The unit is managed by a Clinical Midwife Manager and staffed by three senior midwives, providing specialist assessment, monitoring and treatment for a range of pregnancy-related conditions.

Following assessment, women may receive advice, treatment, an ongoing management plan or referral to another specialist service.

Support offered

“The service enables us to provide timely, safe and high-quality care to women during pregnancy while ensuring they feel supported, informed and reassured throughout their visit,” said Fionnuala Reilly, Clinical Midwife Manager.

“Having cared for approximately 840 women to date, we have already seen significant benefits for both patient experience and service delivery,” she added.

Director of Midwifery, Deirdre Naughton said that MDAU is an excellent example of how maternity services continue to evolve in response to the needs of women and their families.

The MDAU accepts referrals through a number of pathways, including self-referral by pregnant women, GP referrals, Antenatal Clinic referrals, Fetal Assessment Unit referrals, and referrals from antenatal and postnatal inpatient services where further investigation or monitoring is required on an outpatient basis.

Women who have concerns about their pregnancy are encouraged to contact the Maternity Day Assessment Unit for advice and guidance on accessing the service.

For more information, contact Portiuncula University Hospital on 0909648618.