Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 June 2026
285. Deputy Pádraig O'Sullivan asked the Minister for Health given that the Sláintecare 2026 Action Plan cites findings from the independent evaluation of the Phase 1 Postnatal Hubs commissioned in 2025, if she will publish that evaluation in full; the date on which it will be published; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [48122/26]
Amharc ar fhreagraPostnatal Hubs are designed to provide accessible, multidisciplinary care to women, infants and families in community-based locations. This includes vital services such as physiotherapy, health and wellness checks, feeding support, and birth reflections. The independent external report, Evaluation of the Community Postnatal Hubs in Ireland, was launched on 23rd February 2026 alongside the official opening of four new Postnatal Hubs in the Coombe, the National Maternity Hospital, the Rotunda and Our lady of Lourdes in Drogheda.
The evaluation, commissioned by the Health Service Executive’s National Women’s and Infants Health Programme (NWIHP), found that Postnatal Hubs are functioning as a ‘one-stop-shop’, offering genuine ‘wrap around’ support for women in the postnatal period. The evaluation also describes the pilot hubs as a model for best practice in postnatal care, achieving impressive satisfaction ratings from women.
The evaluation found that the Postnatal Hubs are delivering meaningful improvements in postnatal care, with women valuing the one-to-one appointments with midwives and the access to timely, compassionate, and expert postnatal support. Access to postnatal hub services has enabled some women to avoid having to access acute services or other healthcare professionals for health concerns in the post natal period. The report also noted that there were very positive findings from staff working in the Hubs in relation to their professional satisfaction.
Further Hubs will be rolled out at four more locations later this year, bring the total national network to 13 hubs.
The full report can be found here:
www.gov.ie/en/department-of-health/press-releases/minister-for-health-launches-four-new-postnatal-hubs-and-the-postnatal-hub-pilot-evaluation/
