Semi private vs Public Holles st

CPTM

Hi folks, myself and my wife are having our first baby and it has happened a lot sooner than we expected! She is 6 weeks pregnant. We're happy, but I'm really stressed about the choice between public or private. We have healthcare, but unfortunately she only signed up in November so they won't cover anything because we're within the 52 weeks. We have money, so if there is a justified reason I can use that money for semi private. However, they say that one variable cost is the 800 per night per mother and baby if they need to stay in hospital. I'm worried that if the baby goes into ICU for 30 days for example, suddenly I will need to pay 800 euro X 30 days.

Has anyone been through the public vs semi private care in Holles st? Can you give advice on your experience there?

kennethsmyth

Hi we went public both times even though we would be covered for semi private, I wouldnt bother as mother will want to come home asap (you dont get sleep in hospital)

Go public, get an extra scan in the private clinic up the road from Holles St. (approx 140) and do public for the birth - if you live on the south side of dublin there is a nurse scheme that will check in on you over the days after the birth at home.

PS they are meant to keep you in a minimum of 24 hrs after birth, check this as the head nurse (or whatever is called) goes around looking to turf anyone out by 10 oclock the next day if they had a normal birth with no complications. My wife had baby at 4pm and they wanted for her to leave by 10am next day, I pointed out we were not in 24hrs since birth and she looked again at her details and said "oh yeah...ok"
:rolleyes:

Cakerbaker

I second above about the lack of sleep! I was public for both and domino on second. I took part in the early release on my first and stayed over night on my second. Then had midwives call To my house for the next few days to check on us.

I also attended one of the clinics outside of Holles st. Apparently the wait times at these clinics are a lot shorter than the public clinic in the hospital although im just basing that on what I’ve heard.

Sunrise_Sunset

I went public the first time, semi-private the second time. There was very little difference. I don't remember anything different about the after care, only that the wait time for check ups weren't as long when I was semi-private. This was at the Coombe hospital. I received excellent care both times. My advice is to go public, save the money for when the baby arrives.

catrionanic

Two babies born publicly in holles street and I haven't a bad word to say about them. You will get fantastic care, especially if you manage to get on the Domino scheme. Best midwives in the world.

shesty

Don't go semi private if you are not covered by your insurance.I was in for five days on my first baby as she had to be treated with antibiotics, and I had to return the following week for four nights due to a post partum haemorrage.Obviously I am not wishing things to go badly for you but you literally have zero control over this and you could end up with a massive bill.You end up in the same delivery rooms with the same midwives going public or semi private anyway, and that's the really important bit.The system is just as good either way, it's just the bed in the smaller ward afterwards you are really paying for.My insurer sent us the bills after our first (we were semi-p), and between her care the total of about ten nights semi p, and then the staff required to do a procedure on me and her blood tests being done, the costs were thousands.You don't want a bill like that landing on your doorstep.

CPTM

Thanks very much everyone. You've really put our minds at ease with this. I think we're going to go with Public. We're going to phone the hospital tomorrow. When you go public, do the blood tests at week 12 still happen in the hospital? It would be great if anyone had an outline of what the process is with Public system and what the key dates are (even a rough outline from memory would be great!) ? I notice with the semi-private, they list the key dates like this:

12-14 wks gestation: you will have an initial booking with a Midwife who takes your booking bloods and medical history and does an ultrasound scan; this takes place Monday – Thursday from 08.30 to 11.00hrs.

16-18 weeks gestation: you will be seen by a Consultant.

20-22 weeks gestation: Your 'Big Scan' will take place in Merrion Fetal Health (included in your fees).

24 weeks gestation: GP visit.

28 weeks gestation: Consultant visit.
Your visits then alternate between your GP and your Consultant.

Unfortunately the same is not detailed for public so I'm not sure what we need to organise ourselves! Thanks very much!

posy2010

CPTM wrote: »

Thanks very much everyone. You've really put our minds at ease with this. I think we're going to go with Public. We're going to phone the hospital tomorrow. When you go public, do the blood tests at week 12 still happen in the hospital? It would be great if anyone had an outline of what the process is with Public system and what the key dates are (even a rough outline from memory would be great!) ? I notice with the semi-private, they list the key dates like this:



Unfortunately the same is not detailed for public so I'm not sure what we need to organise ourselves! Thanks very much!

I am 40 weeks pregnant attending Holles St public. All is the same except you will likely see a doctor on consultants team instead of consultant and your big scan at 20 weeks is in the hospital.

Millem

CPTM wrote: »

Hi folks, myself and my wife are having our first baby and it has happened a lot sooner than we expected! She is 6 weeks pregnant. We're happy, but I'm really stressed about the choice between public or private. We have healthcare, but unfortunately she only signed up in November so they won't cover anything because we're within the 52 weeks. We have money, so if there is a justified reason I can use that money for semi private. However, they say that one variable cost is the 800 per night per mother and baby if they need to stay in hospital. I'm worried that if the baby goes into ICU for 30 days for example, suddenly I will need to pay 800 euro X 30 days.

Has anyone been through the public vs semi private care in Holles st? Can you give advice on your experience there?

If you don’t have health insurance go public. It would be far too stressful for you worrying how much your bill will be.
Keep your insurance up if you are planning another baby and if you want to use it go private.

shesty

You don't organise anything going public, the hospital will do it all.The only thing you may be required to pay for is the blood test around 12 weeks that checks for genetic issues like Down's etc (someone else will have to give the name of it sorry!!, is that the Harmony one?NPT??), and that has to be paid for regardless of whether you are public or private as it is purely optional.

We went semi-p in the Rotunda on all three and the cost there includes everything, all bloods,scans, an extra visits etc. Everything is done in the hospital.I believe in Holles St there are extra costs for bloods if you are semi-p(open to correction??:).Public however, the system will just cover it all.Your GP will usually register you in the combined care scheme under the HSE and they usually send out a list of roughly when your appointments should be and whether they are wih the GP or the hospital.

The system is actually surprisingly good, I had much lower expectations given how we usually manage things!!Just do not be afraid to ask questions and query stuff.

maxsmum

If you're not covered by health insurance you're looking at possibly crazy bills, think about C sections and the like and the cost of a private room per night running into 5-7 days - at 1000 euro a night. Go public and use your extra money for additional scans, NIPT testing etc. You'll be covered for the next baby then with the health insurance and you can compare public with private then!

PhoenixParker

See if you qualify for midwife led care with early transfer home. It depends on being low risk and in an appropriate catchment area.

Check ups are at local clinics, delivery is in the hospital, then you leave quickly and they visit you at home afterwards.

http://www.nmh.ie/pregnancy/community-midwifery-service.13604.html

More relaxed then either normal public or semi-private.

lazygal

Semi private is a waste of money. Go public.
I went private and it was 100 % worth the money but if we didn't have health insurance we'd have a bill of €20,000 for my last pregnancy.