The Department of Health wants your views on the National Maternity Strategy

Members of the public are being invited to suggest improvements they would like to see in the new National Maternity Strategy. The Department of Health is hoping patients in particular will ‘make their views known' about the plan, given the recent controversy over hospital standards in Ireland. According to Minister for Health Leo Varadkar, the new strategy will ‘put the needs of mothers, babies and their families at its centre'.

"The focus will be on maximising patient safety, quality of care, clinical outcomes as well as the desirability of greater patient choice, the move towards more services in the community, and a renewed focus on prevention and wellbeing," he explained.

This consultation process will run until Wednesday, July 15 and views can be submitted using the online questionnaire.