WATCH: What the gynaecological clinic at Portlaoise hospital can do for women

The HSE says improved access and wait times for gynaecology patients are being facilitated for women in the Midlands through the establishment of an Ambulatory Gynaecology Clinic for women’s health at Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise.

The Clinic is one of a number of such units opened around the country under national plans to improve outcomes for women through a new model of care. These services are being established as one-stop, “see-and-treat” gynaecology clinics in which women can be assessed and treated conveniently and efficiently following a GP referral. This new model will improve access to diagnostics and treatment, resulting in fewer hospital visits and reducing overall wait times for women.

The clinic is part of the extension and development of the outpatients department at Midland Regional Hospital Portlaoise and is based on the ground floor.

Ita Kinsella, Director of Midwifery, said clinic promotes an integrated multidisciplinary team approach to care and offers a unique opportunity to transform gynaecology services for women in the catchment area.

"The overall objectives of an ambulatory gynaecology management philosophy are to offer individualised woman-centred care pathways, to shorten the time to treatment and the treatment process for women ensuring promotion of health and wellbeing for both a physical and psychological point of view.

"This new approach and redesign of gynaecology services can be delivered in a more convenient close to home setting than what was previously offered, for the benefit of women in the Midlands in need of the service. We would like to thank all the staff in MRHP who have helped to bring this project to completion. And we would also like to acknowledge the National Women and Infants Health Programme for their ongoing support,” she said.

The Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, officially opened the clinic in late 2022.

“The opening of this clinic will go a long way to ensuring that the women in the Midlands can receive the right care, at the right time, and in the right place,” Minister Donnelly said.

Prof Michael O’Connell, Master of the Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital and Clinical Lead for Women & Infants for the Dublin Midlands Hospital Group, which includes Portlaoise. He said it was good for the Minister to see first hand, the work that is going into developing this new model of maternity care for the Midlands and wider catchment of the Hospital Group.

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"The Dublin Midlands Hospital Group is committed to supporting all measures to develop health services for women and children by working closely with the National Women and Infants Health Programme to enhance gynaecological care for our service users. Ambulatory Gynaecology allows a “see-and-treat” approach to managing gynaecological conditions, providing a more streamlined, integrated care pathway than the traditional gynaecology clinic and inpatient care model,” he said.