Minister for Health confirms additional services for women’s health

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly has confirmed that extra funding from his department has been allocated to ensure two additional Menopause clinics will be opening in Ireland this year.

This means that there will be a total of six new specialist Menopause clinics opening across the country in 2022. These specialist clinics will be a valuable resource for women suffering from menopause who require complex medical care. 

Initially, the Women’s Health Action Plan had announced that four new Menopause clinics would be opening around the country this year. Therefore, this welcome news of extra funds in the women’s health sector is a wonderful, albeit much-needed, addition.

Other areas within the Women’s Health Action Plan which are going to be receiving some vital attention this year include postnatal care and endometriosis care.

The €2.5M investment in women’s health care will also see the introduction of two additional community-based postnatal hubs — another vital resource for new mums who are struggling after giving birth. These services will offer support to women with breastfeeding difficulties, post-birth recovery and postnatal depression.

This year, the Women’s Health Action plan has also been working on introducing two specialist centers which focus on endometriosis care, the first ones to be brought into the Irish healthcare system.

“I’m delighted to be able to announce additional services in women’s health, going beyond what we announced in the Women’s Health Action Plan,” Minister Donnelly said, as reported by The Journal. The Minister added that these funds will help expand specialist menopause clinics “more quickly than planned”.

“We will also grow the secondary care provisions for women with endometriosis so that there is more support available nationally. This will ensure women are appropriately referred to the spectrum of endometriosis treatment available – from GP care to the new supra-regional services – depending on their need,” he continued.

Going on to talk about the need for more specialist postnatal care, Donnelly said, “Too many women felt unsupported, isolated and overwhelmed following their baby’s birth. I am delighted that as a result of today’s decisions we will now have four postnatal hubs operating nationwide to support women in areas such as breastfeeding, birth recovery and postnatal depression.”