Staff were overworked, too busy to spend time with patients when attending appointments, scans or in labour. Rooms were crowded and they therefore seemed untidy and dirty. This was not conducive to a calm positive experience. I also overheard staff giving out about certain patients which is completely unprofessional and unacceptable.

Could not have asked for better people to take care of my baby in the neontal unit. She was very sick and the love the staff gave her was as if she was their own. The care was 100%. I will always be grateful.

I am currently having pre-natal care at Holles St and am getting so scared about giving birth there. For one thing, they never ever pick up the phone when you need to make appointments. I had been trying all day, when I FINALLY got through at 15h50, the voice at the other end told me she couldn't help because she was on her way home and to call the next day! At one point I held for over an hour in the telephone queue. An hour. At the foetal assessment you can stand in front of them and they will ignore you while typing something on the computer. If they are too busy then maybe they need another person to actually acknowledge their patients. I am so discouraged, but where else to go?

The staff in delivery ward were amazing, I could not fault them in anyway. However when I got onto the postnatal wards I wanted to go home straight away. One nurse was looking after me and she was so mean, nasty and not professional in any way. She couldn't get blood from my arm after many trys of yanking it, so decided to get it from my foot. She was really rough with my daughter as well. Although I had just the one bad experience it would not put me off attendning the hospital again.

One nurse was really very unhelpful when I arrived on the ward from theatre after having my twin babies. Barely checked to see how I was and did not give me any help or advice while she was on night duty that night.

I find that the more permanent staff in Holles Street are great, this includes the midwives, community midwives and general staff. However, it was slightly confusing with the very many doctors on rotation which also meant no 'personal' continuity in care. While this was the case though, I did find the level of care and expertise excellent, particularly as I developed complications and ended up with a C-section. I would not hesitate to go back for an excellent public health service.

Overall a dreadful experience.

I could not fault the hospital during my stay. I felt in good hands with the lovely midwives who delivered my baby safely. The level of care I then received in the public ward was outstanding. I couldn't have wished for a better experience.

Disgraceful attitude to neonatal care of preterm.

I spent a lot of time in and out of this hospital going to the day ward due to high blood pressure. The nurses were always very friendly and professional despite being under pressure due to the hospital being so busy. The one criticism I have is that despite being a semi private patient I hardly got to see my consultant towards the end of my pregnancy and was seeing different registrars each time. I had a caesarean and the theatre staff were excellent and made the whole experience a very personal and positive one. They also did a great job of involving my partner. My stay in the semi private ward was also very positive.

My experience in Holles St has literally scarred me for life. When I arrived the midwife was so obnoxious and didn't even believe I was in labour until she examined me and found I was six centimetres. I suffered a massive post-partum haemorrhage and almost bled to death while two nurses looked on, it was only until I fell unconscious that a doctor/crash team were called. I recieved a complete blood transfusion and am lucky I am not brain damaged. As a public servant myself I am appalled at the rudeness, the obnoxiousness and outright negligence of certain members of staff at this hospital. I was only home one day when I recieved a bill for 15 grand for my stay. You couldn't pay me to go back there.

The very poor and inconsistent advice/support given on breastfeeding is in dire need of updating/training. It is detrimental to women wanting to breastfeed their babies to tell them to top up with formula. This is BAD advice yet it is doled out every day to women on the postnatal ward in this hospital. It does a huge disservice to vulnerable women and their babies.

Excellent care in unit 3 over 30 hours and everyone I met from then until I left with my perfect baby boy six days later. The staff on the Merrion Wing were second to none and special thanks to Dr Helen Spillane, Prof Colm O'Herily and Dr Shane Higgins and all their staff. Would definitely to to NMH again.

Hi I'm a doctor from India working in one of the specialty units in Dublin hospital. In India I worked in a 1,200 bed public hospital that was busy all every time of the day. It wasn't air conditioned, it was crowded all the time. Admission costs were 1 rupee (1/70 €). But the attention, care, staff, expertise was unmatched. Blood results took 6 hrs, waiting times were 10-15 minutes, even in emergency units. To my utter surprise here in Ireland, so called developed country things are worse than a public general hospital from a third world country. I have been given wrong blood test results (confirmed from a friend doctor who works in another dept who has access to all patient records). In last 2 months even a remotest hospital in India wouldn't send you to GP who can only measure BP, fetal heart rate, fundal height; and can't do sonography. Here consultant writes 1 liner in your report! He should burn down his degrees. Irish people I think are most tolerable in the world who let these people cheat them. Either they don't know what good is or they are careless.

Had a horrendous experience during my pregnancy, and postnatal care of my third baby here. I'd sooner give birth in a ditch than go back.

I was a private patient so no experience of waiting times for checkups but did attend ER a few times and waited hours. Overall miserable experience from the time I was brought in to be induced. Prelabour ward had 14 beds in it, not a wink of sleep for 2nights so was wrecked by the time I got to labour ward. The midwife in labour ward was he only saving grace however labour ward has no privacy. Ended up having c section and was broght to semi private room (6 beds in it). Again could not sleep as Mothers and babies crying day and night. Nurses would not believe me that my catheter was not in correctly and was paining me. I was also given a double dose of pain killers by mistake so was not allowed any more for 16 hours so in complete pain. Moved to private room after 2 nights and staff were horrible. Student nurse gave me wrong advise regarding breatfeeding, got infection while there and had to beg my consultant to let me go home. At least my baby was healthy as I would hate to think of anyone going through this with a sick baby. Cannot believe we pais thosands for this experience, never ever again.

My experience at this hospital was a nightmare from start to finish. I was 16 days overdue and the doctor decided to break my water. A trainee doctor was instructed to do this. When doing so she commented that sometimes the membrane to the amniotic sac can be thick and hard to cut. After a lot of pain and effort she did it. I went through 24 hours of a failed induction and a c-section to discover that it wasn't the membrane that was too thick, my baby's head was cut several times. During the induction the mid-wife told me my water should never have been broken in the first place as I had a posterior cervix. I have to say the mid-wife was fantastic. Her care and attention was excellent. While recovering on a public ward I was woken and told that my bed would have to be moved to make room for another bed. The ward was so overcrowded that there was two beds to one curtain cubicle which allowed for no privacy at all for patients. I had a previous positive experience at this hospital but it has gone so much downhill. I cannot recommend it after my experience.

Where to start. I'd never end!! As a Nurse myself it disappoints me to say the staff have a disgusting, draconian, uncaring, hierarchical, unprofessional, inhumane attitude towards 'patients'. Staff should be ashamed.

Excellent care by midwives and nurses.

Horrendous experience on first pregnancy as a semi-private patient, both as an antenatal patient and post natal patient. Had such a bad experience we took out a loan on the second pregnancy and went private to the Rotunda, which was a completely positive experience in terms of care. Would NOT recommend Holles Street

All round, I found my experiencer in Holles St Hospital, in the initial gynae clinic, biopsy, diagnosis, admission, surgery and post operative care, second to none. I have reason to be very grateful for everyone who gave me such excellent care and attention. The surgical ward and toilets were spotless at all times. Full marks and many, many thanks.

Absolutely love this hospital! Very friendly staff! Excellent food!

Had a great experience even though the circumstances were sad and upsetting. I was really well looked after and all staff that I came on contact were very friendly. I have a lot of respect for the staff and doctors who are managing such a busy hospital. I Will definitely go back.

My experience of NMH Holles st was very good. My antenatal appointments were not the best, I spent more time waiting than I did been seen to, which I did not like. I was actually called to an exam room then forgotten about for about 20 mins. When I went into the hospital to have my baby, the staff on the pre labour ward seemed very distant and cold. I was in agony and throwing up, but they did not really offer any sort of support. I was constantly asking for some sort of pain relief, but nothing was offered to me, yet I could hear other women be offered a shot of pethidine. Eventually I was sent up to the labour room where I finally got some pain relief (after 6 hours of waiting) The midwife there though, was absolutely brilliant. She was so helpful and supportive and managed to deliver my son by herself (I was told that 2 midwives would be present). When I was moved to wards the midwives/nurses were so helpful when I was having problems with getting my son to latch when breastfeeding him. One of the midwives even changed my son while I was asleep which was greatly appreciated. All in all I had a great experience and would happily return to have future children

Overall, I found the care I received excellent. I was there as a private patient and Dr Higgins, the consultant I attended, always gave me loads of time and attention as well as excellent care. I found all staff competent and the level of care really high, despite them being under a lot of pressure due to big workload. Indeed, some of the nurses came across as a bit short with me after the birth (not while in labour, when they were all amazing and caring) and extra staff might help them have more time with each patient after the babies are born, but they were always there when I needed them and have no problems recommending the hospital to anyone else. My only reservation is about the availability of facilities in the semi private rooms as they could definitely do with more patient toilets! I am now about to have my second baby there and I hope I can have the same positive experience again.

Horrible experience. wouldn't recommend anyone to go to this hospital. You are treated like an animal. Too may trainee nurses that haven't got the required experience to cater for anyone's needs. All the doctor's and nurses contradict each other. Sent to a&e by my doctor. The doctor wouldn't even read my doctors letter with my history on this and sent me home when I could hardly walk with kidney infection which was diagnosed by my doctor yet the hospital said I had nothing wrong with me.

Botched episiotomy. Ridiculed for asking about being induced. Roared at in labour. Ridiculed for not breastfeeding. Need I go on?

I ended up with an emergency C-Section & was discharged after only 3 nights due to lack of beds. On my last night my bed was pushed up against a wall with my baby's cot pushed in tightly between mine and the next ed and so forth throughout the ward. I was unable to get out of bed as I had had a C-Section & was unable to climb to the bottom of the bed and the cot prevented me from getting out at the side. Another patient had to get my baby for me each time she cried. Women & babies cried all night due to the stress of the circumstances. I was trying to breastfeed but had no privacy as the husband of the patient in the next bed was right at my side from early morning to late evening & the curtains could not be pulled as the beds had all been pushed in so tightly against each other. Staff were unable to give any proper care or attention to any patients as they had so much to do with the overflow and lack of support. I left Holles without having any contact with a lactation specialist and also in a very stressed state of mind. I struggled with breastfeeding at home & also my stiches came apart a little from the lack of proper rest in hospital & having to stretch and push the cot each time to just get out of bed for the toilet. All in all it was the most stressful time of my life. I have seen other friends and family's experiences of maternity care and mine was verging on 3rd world level circumstances. Only for one sister who did as best she could to show me how to breastfeed, I can honestly say I would not have been able to do so.

My comment relates to the survey itself. The 1st page of this survey is misleading, I had to say I was admitted for a one off or long term illness just to access the survey and pregnancy is clearly not an illness!! Maternity should be added to the initial page.

I spent a total of 10 days in a 3 week period in Holles Street. Five days following the birth of my baby and five days recovering from the infection I picked up during an emergency c section. The pre-natal care and the staff during a traumatic delivery were fantastic. The post natal care is an entirely different story... I spent four days in a bed without the sheets being changed.. On a ward there were four toilets and three showers to approx 21 women. Bear in mind these women have all just given birth. My blood pressure and temp were not taken for 18 hours.. this is the day after an emergency section. If my ops had been done the infection raging inside me might have been picked up on. Staff were appalling. On one occasion I rang the bell because I wasn't able to pull myself out of the bed. The midwife reefed back the curtain told me they were busy and if I needed something to get up out of bed and go and find someone. I had pressed the call button because I could not get up. I would strongly recommend anyone considering attending Holles street for the birth of their baby to go elsewhere... anywhere...