Private v's public care

Hi, I am currently 6 weeks pregnant - I was at my GP's today to have my pregnancy confirmed & they asked if we wanted to go public or private - we will be attending Portlaoise Hospital - & I was just looking for advise as to what you are entitled to if you go private? Would you reccomend going private or is the care you receive as a public patient ok? Thanks

Private you'll pay approx 3k to see the doctor 20% back from Tax and some from your hralth insurance your health insurance should cover the room cost-but check 1st, AFAIK its approx 1100 a night private for the room your consultant will be at the birth and you will se them throughourt. I think PL has 8 private rooms but no gaurntee you'll get a private room Public is free you will see a memeber of a consultants team more than likely the sho or reg. more info here http://www.bump2babe.ie/ I was in the coombe public but know a few peoepl who went public in PL and had no complaints

This is always going to be a personal choice, If you have health insurance ring your insurance company and ask them what your cover entitles you too. I do know as other poster has said if you go semi private or private in a public hospital you are not gauranteed a private room, this was one of the reasons i went to a private hospital, (apart from the fact i have excellent cover with my health insurance) i didnt want to fork out a sh*t load of hard earned money paying for private / semi private not to get a private room in the end!

i've gone public in kerry general, after 3 mc's i thought it might be best to go private and dh & i met consultant when i was 6 wks and he told us to hang on to our money and go public, they were his exact words, very few private rooms in kerry general so that would never be a definite, have received fantastic care, i know my history might have meant i got a bit of extra attention but i can't fault any of the midwives or members of the consultants team, we actually saw the consultant himself at our scan last week, he had told me if i needed him thoughout the pregnancy he would see me but thankfully i havent need to see him, there probably is more waiting in the prublic system but i know a friend seeing same consulatnt privatelu and if an emergency pops up he could be called away you'll have to wait anyway it really is down to what you can afford and while we would have been able to come up with the money, instead we've been able to use it for the little ones arrival, i have healthcare but would have been paying 2400 to consultant, €400 back from aviva and €400 back through tax, so overall it would have cost us €1600,

You're going to get alot of responses on this and only you can make the decision. Personally I dont like when people say its a waste of money going private, I feel if thats what you want to do then go for it. Personally, for me I decided to go private, because of a number of reasons, I am 36 and I wanted to meet my consultant at EVERY visit to the clinic. I wanted reassurance and the continuity of care that comes with a private consultant as its my first baby. I also didnt want to be waiting for 3/4 hours at the hospital for appointments. It is nothing to do with the 'private room' for me, that makes absolutely no difference. Its the extra scans and being seen on a very regular basis that clinched it for me. My sister has gone public as her doc told her it was a 'waste of money' and shes ok with her treatment but she said its a conveyer belt in CUMH rushing everyone, she hasnt met a consultant yet and shes 25 weeks now. But if you're the type of person that feels public is for you then thats excellent, sure thousands and thousands of women get on fantastic in the public system. Dont feel pressured into going private if you are happy to go public. See how you feel but private will probably cost you in the region of 2k euro. For me=money well spent. But thats just my opinion. (ps in the begining my husband was saying to go public but now he sees the care Im getting hes happy that I decided to go private) If we are lucky enough to have another baby who knows I may go public xx Best of luck its a very exciting time for you xxxxxxx

[quote="MrsPositive":12ntm0wk]You're going to get alot of responses on this and only you can make the decision. Personally I dont like when people say its a waste of money going private, I feel if thats what you want to do then go for it. Personally, for me I decided to go private, because of a number of reasons, I am 36 and I wanted to meet my consultant at EVERY visit to the clinic. I wanted reassurance and the continuity of care that comes with a private consultant as its my first baby. I also didnt want to be waiting for 3/4 hours at the hospital for appointments. It is nothing to do with the 'private room' for me, that makes absolutely no difference. Its the extra scans and being seen on a very regular basis that clinched it for me. My sister has gone public as her doc told her it was a 'waste of money' and shes ok with her treatment but she said its a conveyer belt in CUMH rushing everyone, she hasnt met a consultant yet and shes 25 weeks now. But if you're the type of person that feels public is for you then thats excellent, sure thousands and thousands of women get on fantastic in the public system. Dont feel pressured into going private if you are happy to go public. See how you feel but private will probably cost you in the region of 2k euro. For me=money well spent. But thats just my opinion. (ps in the begining my husband was saying to go public but now he sees the care Im getting hes happy that I decided to go private) If we are lucky enough to have another baby who knows I may go public xx Best of luck its a very exciting time for you xxxxxxx [/quote:12ntm0wk] +1 I have to totally agree with Mrs Positive. I also feel if you go private you have someone there thats for you and you alone the day baby comes along. If that makes sense, while all doctors have your best interest at heart, there is a different level of care in my opinion. My sister in law had her baby last week and she was private, she was in a semi private room for one night sharing with a public patient, the other womans child had been born with massive health complications that were not picked up along the way. She had different doctors and midwives coming in dealing with it, all giving varying information. My SIL felt that it was shocking that so many different people were dealing with the same patient. The poor woman was understandably distraught, SIL felt that no one was taking control and helping to guide her, which a private consultant would do. Another plus, on the private side is that if you do end up needing stitches you're very experienced consultant will be doing it, and not some reg or SHO with only a few years experience!! Thats just MY VIEW, and I'm sure I'll be taken out and shot for it by those who dont agree. €3000 will buy a lot of things for baby when they come along but I'm looking at it as an insurance policy on my unborn child. I insure my house and my car, and they're inanimate objects, so if I can afford it, why wouldn't I insure my baby.......

[quote="sweetbubbles":39rrb7yw][quote="MrsPositive":39rrb7yw]You're going to get alot of responses on this and only you can make the decision. Personally I dont like when people say its a waste of money going private, I feel if thats what you want to do then go for it. Personally, for me I decided to go private, because of a number of reasons, I am 36 and I wanted to meet my consultant at EVERY visit to the clinic. I wanted reassurance and the continuity of care that comes with a private consultant as its my first baby. I also didnt want to be waiting for 3/4 hours at the hospital for appointments. It is nothing to do with the 'private room' for me, that makes absolutely no difference. Its the extra scans and being seen on a very regular basis that clinched it for me. My sister has gone public as her doc told her it was a 'waste of money' and shes ok with her treatment but she said its a conveyer belt in CUMH rushing everyone, she hasnt met a consultant yet and shes 25 weeks now. But if you're the type of person that feels public is for you then thats excellent, sure thousands and thousands of women get on fantastic in the public system. Dont feel pressured into going private if you are happy to go public. See how you feel but private will probably cost you in the region of 2k euro. For me=money well spent. But thats just my opinion. (ps in the begining my husband was saying to go public but now he sees the care Im getting hes happy that I decided to go private) If we are lucky enough to have another baby who knows I may go public xx Best of luck its a very exciting time for you xxxxxxx [/quote:39rrb7yw] +1 I have to totally agree with Mrs Positive. I also feel if you go private you have someone there thats for you and you alone the day baby comes along. If that makes sense, while all doctors have your best interest at heart, there is a different level of care in my opinion. My sister in law had her baby last week and she was private, she was in a semi private room for one night sharing with a public patient, the other womans child had been born with massive health complications that were not picked up along the way. She had different doctors and midwives coming in dealing with it, all giving varying information. My SIL felt that it was shocking that so many different people were dealing with the same patient. The poor woman was understandably distraught, SIL felt that no one was taking control and helping to guide her, which a private consultant would do. Another plus, on the private side is that if you do end up needing stitches you're very experienced consultant will be doing it, and not some reg or SHO with only a few years experience!! Thats just MY VIEW, and I'm sure I'll be taken out and shot for it by those who dont agree. €3000 will buy a lot of things for baby when they come along but I'm looking at it as an insurance policy on my unborn child. I insure my house and my car, and they're inanimate objects, so if I can afford it, why wouldn't I insure my baby.......[/quote:39rrb7yw] Agreed. My consultant is present at 97% of her patients births she said if shes not available for any reason she will have a consultant in her place to see me through the delivery. I find this very reassuring.