In 2020, the inaugural National Maternity Experience Survey invited women to share their experiences of maternity care in Ireland. Over 3,000 women, who gave birth in October or November 2019 participated, offering valuable insights into what aspects of care were effective and where improvements could be made.
The survey forms part of the National Care Experience Programme, a partnership between HIQA, the HSE and the Department of Health. Its aim is to listen to women, learn from their experiences and use their insights to improve the safety and quality of maternity care for women and their babies.
The responses gathered have directly informed quality improvement initiatives at both national and local levels, leading to meaningful changes in care delivery. To learn more about the survey’s impact, you can view our animation or read about national and local quality improvements implemented by the HSE in response to the findings here.
These improvements would not have been possible without the women who generously shared their experiences in 2020.
The second National Maternity Experience Survey offers another important opportunity to hear from women who gave birth in 2025, helping to further improve maternity care services.