3909. Deputy Barry Ward asked the Minister for Health in the context of proposals to withdraw private maternity services, the maternity care pathways that will be available to women assessed as being at normal risk; if they will be able to choose freely between those pathways (details supplied); and if she will make a statement on the matter. [63526/26]

Maternity care in Ireland is provided in line with the National Maternity Strategy (NMS) The Strategy sets out how to provide women-centred care, so that every woman can expect the same quality of care regardless of her location or her ability to pay, and to ensure women have choice regarding the pathway to the birth of their baby, within the context of their clinical need.

The National Maternity Strategy sets out a Model of Care for maternity services, with three care pathways tailored to the clinical needs and risk profile of each woman and her baby:

• The Supported Care Pathway is midwife-delivered and available to women with a normal risk profile.

• The Assisted Care Pathway is shared care between medical and midwifery staff and is for women with an elevated risk profile.

• The Specialised Care Pathway is a consultant-led service for women deemed to be high risk at booking.

The National Maternity Strategy aims to ensure that appropriate care pathways are in place in order that mothers, babies, and families get the right care, at the right time, by the right team and in the right place.

If a woman does not choose a pathway, the default is a shared care approach. This means the woman will attend antenatal appointments in her maternity hospital and be cared for by midwives under the supervision of a consultant obstetrician and medical team.

Under the specialised care pathways all mothers identified as high risk pregnancies are led by a named consultant within a multi-disciplinary team of midwives and other specialists.

In most pregnancies, care is straightforward and can be safely delivered through midwifery-led and multidisciplinary models, supported by consultant-led oversight when needed.

Continuity of care is a key objective of the National Maternity Strategy, and maternity services continue to expand continuity-of-care models where possible. However, in practice, there is no guarantee that a woman in the public system will see the same consultant obstetrician or the same individual midwife at every appointment.

We will continue to listen to women and drive improvements across maternity services, building on the significant progress and investment to date driven through the National Maternity Strategy. This includes delivering a successor to the Strategy, as outlined in the Programme for Government.