HSE Dublin and South East launches initiative to transform regional maternity care communication

The HSE Dublin and South East Women and Neonatal Health Network of Care has officially launched a new collaborative initiative to support improved communications between parents, hospital and community maternity services across the region.

It brings together regional maternity hospital teams, GPs, Public Health Nurses (PHNs), and GP Practice Nurses to create a seamless ‘circle of care’ for pregnant women, new mothers and their infants.

This initiative follows a 2025 regional review and the December 2025 National Maternity Experience Survey where key findings highlighted gaps in communications between new mothers, hospitals and community maternity services.

Paula Power, Operations Manager for the Women and Neonatal Health Network, stated: "Our review found that while care delivery is exceptional, the communication infrastructure lacked standardisation. Having considered these findings, we are now developing a practical, regionally aligned approach to ensure information flows correctly from initial referral to postnatal follow-up, ensuring all mothers and their babies receive connected maternity care.”

Marian Flynn, Change, Innovation and Improvement Lead in Regional Planning and Performance, added: “Led by the Network of Care and the Regional Improvement team, this project will form an important part of ensuring that communications between maternity service users and their healthcare providers is improved and provides the information and support pregnant women, new mothers and their infants need.”

As part of this project, Lorna Kerin, Regional Lead for Patient & Service User Engagement, HSE Dublin and South East, facilitated a workshop where maternity service users reviewed proposals presented in plain language from work package leads Nuria Tasies, Sinead Bracken, and Ann Marie Egan.

Key improvements welcomed by service users who attended maternity services in from Wexford General Hospital, University Hospital Waterford (UHW), St Luke’s General Hospital, Tipperary University Hospital (TippUH) and National Maternity Hospital included:

• Standardised Documentation: Clearer discharge forms for antenatal, postnatal, and neonatal patients.
• The "Contact Person" Pilot: A designated point of contact in each maternity hospital for community health professionals, reducing wasted time and administrative "pulling and dragging."
• Complex Care Approach: A multi-disciplinary pilot for families requiring intensive, multi-agency support.

A ‘Smart Idea’ for New Parents

Service users noted that these changes would support parents during the early days of their parenting journey. One mother, shared how they were sent to A&E for hours “when they just needed feeding support”. “These changes will cut out the frustration of being told you need to go somewhere else,” she added.

The initiative marks a significant step toward safer, better-connected maternity care, ensuring that the focus remains on the health and wellbeing of the family.