Minister opens new menopause clinic at the Rotunda Hospital

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly T.D. opened a new Menopause Clinic at the Rotunda Hospital yesterday.

The ‘Rotunda Menopause Clinic’ aims to treat between 250 – 300 new patients per year, focusing on assessment, appropriate investigation and management of women experiencing symptoms associated with perimenopause and menopause.

The new clinic will be led by Dr Vicky O’ Dwyer, Consultant Gynaecologist, Dr Caoimhe Hartley, GP and Menopause Specialist, and Jean Coffey, Advanced Nurse Practitioner with support from a multidisciplinary team including trainee doctors and pelvic physiotherapists.

The clinic is located in the Rotunda Ambulatory Gynaecology Unit which is a ‘one stop shop’ for women’s healthcare services including gynaecology, fertility, minor theatres and radiology.

At the opening were Jean Coffey, Advanced Nurse Practitioner, Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly T.D., Dr Caoimhe Hartley, GP and Menopause Specialist and Dr Vicky O’Dwyer, Consultant Gynaecologist.
Fennell Photography

This unit was decanted and fully recommissioned by the Rotunda with the support of the National Women and Infants Health Programme (NWIHP) in 2021.

Minister for Health Stephen Donnelly T.D. said:

“Since I was appointed as Minister for Health, I have said that this government would deliver a revolution in women’s healthcare.

“This new clinic is another step in the revolution, the clinic is part of a national network of new services opened to support women at all stages of life.

“We are delivering 20 gynecology clinics, 12 of which are already open; 6 specialist menopause clinics, including this one in the Rotunda; 6 fertility hubs, with 5 now open.

“We are expanding services in maternity care, breastfeeding, endometriosis, eating disorders and more.

“I am delighted to open this new service in the Rotunda.

“We know that not all women will need access to the specialist services that are now available here in the Rotunda and so, last week, I launched gov.ie/menopause a one stop shop for menopause information and support.”

Jim Hussey, Secretary General Manager at the Rotunda Hospital said: “On behalf of management and staff at the Rotunda Hospital, I am pleased to welcome the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, T.D. to the hospital today to formally open the Rotunda Menopause Clinic. The new clinic will enable our staff to provide a high standard of care and a holistic approach towards the treatment and management of perimenopause and menopause. Since the launch of our Ambulatory Gynaecology Unit last year, we have enhanced access to vital services for women, with over 600 new gynaecology referrals being managed monthly. We look forward to continuing to work with colleagues across the the HSE, NWHIP, the Department of Health and RCSI Hospitals Group to deliver these services to patients.”

The Rotunda Hospital is the oldest continuously operating maternity hospital in the world, founded in 1745 and has been operating out of its current buildings since 1757. Approximately one in six of all babies born in Ireland are born in the Rotunda Hospital and in 2021, over 9,000 babies were born in the hospital, representing a 10% increase on 2020.

The hospital is the largest provider of gynaecology services on the north side of Dublin and for the entire north-east of the country. The hospital is the lead maternity and gynaecology provider for the RCSI Hospitals Group. Its new ambulatory gynaecology service operates a “see-and-treat” model, which provides immediate management for a wide range of gynaecology complaints.