Your Hospital Bag

The department offers antenatal, fertility, gynaecological and phlebotomy services, with different specialist teams, clinical nurse specialists and midwives sitting across the week. 

Our antenatal clinics provide a range of public, semi-private, midwifery-led and specialist care. We have dedicated consultant led, midwifery and healthcare-assistant teams who support women and their partners on their pregnancy journey. 

We also provide a range of gynaecological services, including routine examinations, management and treatment of conditions such as endometriosis and Menstrual dysfunction. 

For both antenatal and gynaecological appointments please head to the main outpatient’s department (or as per your appointment letters location). The department located on the ground floor, just off the main entrance to the hospital. Please check in at the hatch at your designated check-in time only, early or late check-ins may not be facilitated. Here your personal details will be checked with you and your chart will be made up / updated. You will then be given your chart and directed to where you need to be seen.  

Antenatal: 

The booking visit is your first appointment at the hospital and generally takes place during weeks 10 - 14 weeks of your pregnancy. During the booking visit, you will be seen by a midwife and a detailed history and assessment of your physical, mental and social wellbeing will be undertaken. Routine bloods, urine sample and basic physical measurements e.g. BMI and blood pressure will be taken as part of this booking visit. It’s helpful to bring any relevant medical records and a list of medications you are currently taking. However please note, it is not possible to facilitate repeat prescriptions for medications prescribed by external clinics, IVF centres or doctors at this visit. If continuation / repeat prescriptions are required you must contact the original prescriber for same. 

Following a review of your history, options regarding referrals and care plans which are appropriate to your needs will be discussed and explored. Please note, as follow up appointments are made at this visit, if you miss this clinic no further hospital appointments or scans will be made / sent for your pregnancy. If you still wish to attend the hospital you must re-apply through central appointments for a repeat booking visit. Please note you will be subjected to re-enter the waitlist again for this clinic regardless of your gestation.  

The booking clinic is one of the most important appointments you will have and due to the sensitive nature of some of the questions and to allow an opportunity to patients to ask questions in private, no support partners or children are allowed into this appointment. If a translator is required this will be arranged by the hospital.  

Gynaecology:

During your first visit, you will meet with a gynaecologist or Clinical Nurse Specialist who will review your medical history and discuss any concerns you may have. A physical examination, including a pelvic exam, may be conducted. It’s helpful to bring any relevant medical records and a list of medications you are currently taking.

A support partner is welcome to attend most appointments with you. However due to limited seating capacity in the main department partners may be asked to wait outside whilst you are waiting to see the team.

Our Phlebotomy room is open Mon- Fri and does not require appointment however blood tests must be requested by your GP or Team in the Coombe. Blood samples taken are sent to our internal laboratory for processing as soon as they are taken. Some samples may have to be sent to an external laboratory depending on the tests required.

The majority of routine Haematology and Biochemistry results should be available within 4 hours. Blood Transfusion results should be available within 6 hours. Some blood tests take longer to process as the analysis is a bit more complicated.

Microbiology results typically take between 2 to 5 days. This is due to the time it takes to grow the organisms.

Histopathology results take a bit longer due to the preparation process needed for the tissue sample (10-20 working days). If further specialised testing is needed, results may take longer. Where this is the case, an interim report will be issued. 

Please note we do not give out results over the phone or by e-mail. If test results are within normal limits the report will be signed and filed into your chart or sent to your requesting GP for review. If the result requires treatment you will receive either a phone call from us or you will receive a letter in the post advising you for example if you require an iron supplement.

Repeat routine prescriptions should be obtained from the original prescriber, it is important to let them know you are now pregnant or trying to conceive so that they can put you on the most suitable medication for you.  

If an external clinic, GP or IVF clinic has prescribed a certain medication for early pregnancy or for a pregnancy related symptom they should continue to manage same for the appropriate duration of that medication.  Most patients do not meet their antenatal team until approx. 18 weeks gestation so obtaining prescriptions from the Coombe will not possible before this time.

 If you have any concerns regarding medication please speak to the prescriber or your pharmacist

Sick certs for social welfare purposes must be obtained from your GP. 

Cert / Letter of Confinement / Due date letter should be requested in good time in order to avoid potential delays in payments from employers later in pregnancy. This cert can only be requested with the doctor or midwife during your antenatal appointment as we cannot post / scan same.