Frequently Asked Questions

At Mater Private Network, we understand that you might be feeling anxious or worried coming to the hospital for your scan, treatment or procedure. Here, we try to address any concerns you may have by providing all of the necessary information before your hospital appointment. If you have any other questions that aren’t answered in this section, please contact us.

General Questions – my stay, location, parking

  • Dublin: Yes, there is a public car park at the Mater Public Hospital – Euro Car Park, accessed from Eccles Street. There is also on-street meter parking all around the hospital. 
  • Cork: Free car parking is available in designated Mater Private Network spots in the underground car park. After turning into Citygate continue straight on to the car park.
  • Cherrywood: Parking is available in the underground car park. The car park entrance is located before the main entrance to the building; at the roundabout turn left and drive down the ramp to get to the car park entrance.
  • Northern Cross: Parking is available behind the building – look for the designated spaces marked Mater Private. There is also on-street parking available nearby - please check local signage, some areas are metered and some are free for up to three hours.
  • Limerick: Car parking on site is available outside the Radiation Oncology Centre. On entry to the University Hospital Limerick (UHL) grounds keep left; at barrier advise security of your appointment and follow road around hospital.  Sign for Mid-Western Radiation Oncology Centre is on the left as you turn.  There are also public UHL car parks on the hospital grounds. 

For more information on parking around our locations, please visit our contact section.

Yes, patients have the right to choose where they receive their care. You can advise your GP/consultant where you wish to go and who you wish to see. Alternatively you can request a ‘Dear Doctor’ referral which leaves the consultant and hospital choice up to you, and send this to your chosen provider.

Due to COVID-19 infection prevention measures, visiting in general is not permitted unless in exceptional circumstances. These include: 

  • Compassionate grounds  
  • For patients who have been admitted for longer than seven days

Any visit must be pre-approved by the ward clinical nurse manager or the nurse in-charge. 

For the latest advice on visiting – please check here

Yes, you can attend Mater Private Network to seek a second opinion on diagnosis or treatment options. This can be arranged by your current consultant or GP.

This may be a discussion between you and your GP. You may request a specific consultant and advise the GP of your preference, or you may prefer that the GP makes the choice on your behalf.

There may be some cases where a consultant will refer you to another consultant with sub-specialist expertise (expertise in a niche area of a specific medical area, for example, knee surgery is a sub-specialty of orthopaedics).

  • Dublin: When a patient is being checked into the ward, the nursing team will be able to advise them of the appropriate number to call. 
    Otherwise, you can call Mater Private Dublin on 1800 123 456 or + 353 1 885 88 88 from outside the Republic of Ireland, and your call will be directed as appropriate.
  • Cork: Please call Mater Private Cork on 021 601 3200 and your call will be directed as appropriate. 

At Mater Private Network, a number of our consultants work as part of a team or group - if you request a Dear Doctor referral letter from your GP, we will ensure that your appointment is scheduled with the most appropriate, first available consultant.

To submit patient feedback, please visit this section.

You may be asked to take part in our NPS when you leave Mater Private. This feedback is very important to us and enables us to continually improve.

  • Dublin: There is a restaurant located on the ground floor, which is open to the public and serves a wide variety of meals. There are also several cafés in the neighbourhood, please check Google Maps to see what is available in the area.
  • Cork: Mater Private Cork has an on-site café which is open to the public and serves a variety of meals. There are also a number of cafés nearby and in Mahonpoint Shopping Centre. Please check Google Maps to see what’s available.
  • Limerick: There are several cafés and a restaurant in the main hospital. Our staff will be happy to assist you with directions. 

Further information on facilities available at each of our locations can be found in the contact section.

 

Learn more about our Catering Department

  • Dublin: There is no shop in the hospital but there are  a number of convenience shops and pharmacies nearby on Dorset Street and around the hospital.
  • Cork: There is no shop in the hospital but there are a number of petrol stations with shops within a five minute walk, as well as Supervalu on the Skehard Road (R852).

(latest update 27th May 2022)

The Euro Car Park in the Mater Hospital costs €3.20 per hour / €15 per day. As this car park is managed by an external company, charges may vary over time. Please check the Euro Car Park website for further information. 

On-Street Parking: according to Dublin City Council, our hospital is located in the "yellow zone" for Pay & Display parking, for which the rate is currently €3.50 per hour. Payment can be made via the on-street ticket machine or using the Parking Tag App. Dublin City Council may change the cost of parking over time; please check their website for the latest updates. 

If you wish to view our online privacy policy, please click here.

Yes, free WiFi is available in the hospital.

There are several accommodation options near our hospital in both Dublin and Cork:


Dublin

  • Dublin One Hotel (5-minute walk)
  • Eccles Townhouse (3-minute walk)
  • The Croke Park Hotel (4-minute drive)
  • The Skylon Hotel (6-minute drive)
  • Jury’s Inn, Parnell Street (7-minute drive)
  • The Maldron Hotel, Smithfield (8-minute drive)
  • The Hilton Garden Inn, Dublin Custom House (8-minute drive)
  • The Maldron Hotel, Parnell Square (8-minute drive)
  • The Spencer Hotel (9-minute drive)
  • The Gibson Hotel (10-minute drive)

Cork

  • Rochestown Park Hotel (6-minute drive)
  • Belvedere Lodge (7-minute drive)
  • Maryborough Hotel & Spa (8-minute drive)
  • The Dean (12-minute drive)
  • Clayton Hotel (13-minute drive)
  • The Address Cork (13-minute drive)
  • Maldron Hotel Shandon (16-minute drive)

Limerick

  • The Great National South Court (5-minute drive) 
  • Maldron Hotel (10-minute drive) 
  • Limerick City Hotel (10-minute drive)  
  • Clayton Hotel (10-minute drive) 

Items to include when packing your bag:

  • Toiletries and personal care items (towels are provided)
  • Nightwear, including dressing gown 
  • Slippers (non-slip) or light indoor shoes
  • Glasses, contact lenses, hearing aid(s) and dentures etc 
  • Any current medications, in the box/container, and any written prescriptions
  • Any other vitamins, supplements, remedies that you are taking
  • Health insurance information, if relevant
  • Books, magazines, etc 
  • Chargers for any devices
  • Any x-rays, scans or reports that are relevant to you procedure

Please do not bring any valuables.

 Only the Intensive Care Unit and St. Joseph’s Ward (step-down-care) are mixed wards. 

Special dietary requirements are catered for; please just make sure that you let us know at admissions if you have specific dietary needs.

Allergen information is available and if required, specific allergen information can be provided in relation to each dish. 

Mater Private Dublin has an Oratory on the ground floor, which is open 24 hours a day. In addition, you can watch Mass being celebrated on Channel 42 on the television in your room or ward, Monday to Friday and Sunday at 10.30am. Spiritual Communion is available at the end of Mass.

Please let us know if you would like a member of your faith or church to visit during your stay to support your religious needs and spiritual wellbeing.

Yes, mobile phones can be used in all areas except ICU.

No, in line with the No Smoking Legislation (29th March 2004) there is a No Smoking Policy in place on the hospital premises. We ask that patients and visitors observe and respect this policy.

If going outside to smoke, to prevent smoke entering the building, please do not smoke on the steps of the main entrance or under windows.

Unfortunately not. Flowers and plants are not permitted in Mater Private Network hospital facilities due to infection control requirements, as bacteria can be carried in soil, water or even in the dust collected on plants and flowers.

Appointment Related Questions

If you are a patient, you can request an appointment via email, or via our website. 

If you are a GP you can also request an appointment on HealthLink through your practice management system. Most appointments will require a referral letter. 

For most of our services a GP referral is required to book an appointment.  Services that don’t require a GP referrals are Healthcheck, Visa Medicals, AeroMedical, eye laser, musculoskeletal and lymphedema physiotherapy services, and breast augmentation.

When your referral is received by our central referrals team, it is triaged by a consultant who assigns a clinical priority based on the information in the referral. An appointment is then scheduled based on this priority with clinically urgent referrals being scheduled first. 

You will receive an automated email response from a Mater Private email address acknowledging receipt of your referral request and outlining the next steps and timelines.

Of course. You can contact the consultant or booking secretary directly to reschedule your appointment to another date. Check the letter, text or email you received confirming your appointment for the contact details you need. The consultant’s secretary’s contact details are also available on the Mater Private Network website in the our consultants section, under the name of your consultant.

Dublin: There is no need to arrive early. Please arrive at the time specified on your appointment letter/by your consultant’s secretary or hospital admission staff; do however allow time for parking as this is a busy city centre location.

If you are parking in the Mater Public euro car park, please note that it is a large underground car park; the pedestrian exit is on North Circular Road and it can take up to 15 minutes to walk to Mater Private Network – there is no interconnecting or indoor route.

Wherever possible, we ask that the patient attend any appointments for imaging, testing, assessment or procedures on their own if they are 18 years or older.

If attending for a consultation, please check with your consultant’s secretary on their policy.

We understand that in certain circumstances support is needed; please let us know in advance or on arrival so that we can facilitate your requirements.

Yes of course, your family member or friend can assist you to the door. Please notify our staff if you require any assistance, and we will be more than happy to help you or provide a wheelchair to bring you to your appointment. 

When you are discharged, we will assist you in getting to your car, or you can arrange for a family member or friend to collect you at the door.

If you are staying overnight, you will be advised of a planned discharge date on admission.  Your consultant will finalise and confirm your discharge date during your stay. Once this is confirmed you will be able to advise the person who is collecting you.

If you are coming in for a day case procedure or surgery, the clinical nursing team will advise you of the estimated discharge time on the day.

COVID-19 tests are required for certain patients, in accordance with Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) guidelines. If you require a COVID-19 test please notify your consultant or the scheduling office. The test must be carried out at our testing centre and is free of charge.

If you are unable to make your COVID-19 appointment or decide not to be tested, your surgery or procedure cannot go ahead and will have to be rescheduled or cancelled. 

Please find all the relevant information in this section: Dublin or Cork.

If you are feeling unwell, or your health has changed, please contact your consultant’s secretary or the scheduling team who will be able to advise you if your procedure can proceed or if should be rescheduled. You will find their contact details in your appointment letter or on their online profile.

If you are on regular medication, please contact your consultant or consultant’s secretary and they will be able to advise you.

If you cannot remember the names of all your medication, please contact your pharmacist and they will be able to print the full list for you.

Mater Private Network takes the health, safety and well-being of our patients and staff very seriously. 

Across all locations we have implemented a range of processes and protections to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and to ensure that all services and departments remain open. We continue to strictly adhere to infection prevention & control evidence-based practices which are in line with national guidelines.  

To learn more about our safety measures during the COVID-19 pandemic, please visit this section.

At Mater Private Network our priority at all times is to protect the health, safety and well-being of our patients and staff.  

We continue to provide services to all patients referred to our care. Clinics, appointments, surgeries, and procedures will continue as planned and scheduled. We guarantee continuity of services for our patients at this critical time. Our dedicated team is working together to ensure resources are managed to achieve this.  

Learn more about the safety measures in place across our Mater Private Network locations.

The location of your appointment will be provided in your appointment confirmation letter. 

Your appointment confirmation letter will contain instructions on how to prepare for your appointment or procedure. If you have any questions your consultant will be able to advise you.

Mater Private Dublin has a walk in phlebotomy service (blood service). It is open 8am - 4pm Monday to Friday and by appointment on Saturdays 9am – 2pm. The cost of the service depends on the type of bloods required.

Please contact phlebotomy@materprivate.ie for further information or an appointment. 

Mater Private Cork does not currently offer a phlebotomy service to GPs or walk-in patients.

This can vary. When a referral for a scan is received it is triaged by the clinical team who assigns a priority based on the clinical information in the referral. An appointment is then scheduled based on the clinical priority of the referral i.e. clinically urgent referrals are scheduled first. 

  • Dublin (Eccles Street): offers a walk-in service for X-ray Monday – Friday | 8am - 4:30pm. You must have a referral from a doctor for an X-ray and you must bring it with you. 
    Please be advised that you will have to pay for your X-ray on the day. You may be able to reclaim the cost from your insurer.
  • Cherrywood & Northern Cross: currently operate on an appointment only basis.

Due to radiation and/or magnetic field safety concerns, we cannot allow non-patients/companions into the scanning room. One of our staff members will accompany the patients/you. If you have mobility assistance requirements, let us know in advance so that we can ensure you have the assistance you need.

Medical Record Access

Simply email our Medical Records/Quality Department at quality.admin@materprivate.ie, and request your records. Please note that it can take up to 30 days to receive your records.  

Billing & Insurance

For any costs not covered by private health insurance or other scheme, prepayment is required when confirming your test, treatment or procedure.

Mater Private Network is a cashless facility and payment can be made by credit card, debit card, Apple Pay and Google Pay.

You can also pay online, please visit our Pay Your Bill page.

For more information, please visit this section.

Inpatients/day cases: For insured patients where there is a shortfall or excess you will be contacted for payment by the finance team 48 hours before your admission. If you are a self-paying patient, you will be contacted for payment seven days before your admission.

Outpatients: You will be required to pay the full amount of the day of your procedure or alternatively you can pre-pay here.

Mater Private Network does not have a facility for payment instalments. 

Each insurance plan’s cover can differ depending on the type of procedure. 

If you would like to check cover for a specific procedure, ask your consultant for the relevant procedure code and then call the Mater Private Insurance Cover Line on 01 885 8856 or email us at cover@materprivate.ie. We will verify your cover and advise you of any shortfalls or excess.

For Cork please call 021 601 3374 with your plan name ready and we will take it from there. You can also email us at MPCbookingoffice@materprivate.ie and we will address your enquiry as quickly as possible.

An excess is the amount that the patient is responsible for paying as stipulated in the plan - this is completely dependent on the plan. It is a once off payment, collected on or before admission.

Please call us on 01 885 8856 (Dublin) or 021 601 3374 (Cork) to confirm any policy excess.

A shortfall is an underinsured amount that the patient is required to pay per night or per procedure. The shortfall is dependent on the level of cover the patient has under their specific plan.

Please call us on 01 885 8856 (Dublin) or 021 601 3374 (Cork) to confirm any shortfall.

Period for which the patient may have limited or no cover. Please refer to www.hia.ie for an explanation on waiting periods.  

This usually occurs when you first take our health insurance or upgrade your level of cover. In both instances, you may not necessarily be covered from day one of your policy.

A high-tech hospital is a hospital, like Mater Private Network, that provides access to high-tech specialist care, surgical expertise, facilities and equipment; it is a hospital offering complex care in addition to routine care. Mater Private is one of only two high-tech hospitals in Ireland.

There are a number of health insurance provides and schemes available in Ireland – for more information visit www.hia.ie 

Yes, you can have a medical card and private health insurance at the same time. If you ask your GP for a referral, you must specify whether you would like to be treated publicly or privately. 

If you are scheduled to receive treatment at Mater Private Network, we will verify your insurance directly with you.

For Mater Private Network (excluding Mater Private Cork) related queries please call our Insurance Cover line on 01 885 8856 to check your level of cover.

For Mater Private Cork related queries please call our Insurance Cover line on 021 601 3374 to check your level of cover.

For more information, please visit this section.

Insurance - Health Insurance Checker

The insurance checker is an online tool that enables patients, GPs, and other healthcare professionals to quickly access information about health insurance cover at Mater Private Network.

You can currently find indicative information in relation to insurance cover for inpatient procedures at Mater Private Network, Eccles Street.

This tool will be updated in the coming weeks. Further information about health insurance cover for outpatient and day case tests, scans and procedures in Eccles Street and our day hospitals in Cherrywood (South Dublin) and Northern Cross (North Dublin) will be available in the next release.

This tool offers indicative information in relation to your insurance cover at Mater Private Network. In some instances, it may be necessary to contact our finance team for specific information depending on the procedure or treatment.

Our team in Dublin is available Monday to Friday, from 8am - 5pm by emailing cover@materprivate.ie or calling 01 885 8856 (option 3).

If you have any questions in relation to insurance cover for Cork, please contact us by emailing MPCbookingoffice@Materprivate.ie or calling 021 601 3374. The team is available Monday to Friday, from 8am - 4pm.

  • Access information quickly and more easily: it can save time that would otherwise be spent sending emails or making phone calls during working hours. Being able to access key information online 24/7 makes it easier and more convenient to choose the right provider for the healthcare you need.
  • Help to determine your level of insurance cover: this tool enables patients and healthcare professionals to quickly and easily determine whether a specific procedure or treatment is covered by the health insurance policy.
  • Estimate costs: using this tool, patients can get an estimate of any out-of-pocket/shortfall costs they may incur for a particular procedure or treatment. 
  • Understand complexities: we are aware that the details and terminology of health insurance plans can be complex and confusing, with a wide variety of coverage limitations and exclusions depending on the insurance provider and level of cover. The health insurance checker aims to simplify and make this information more transparent, by providing patients with indicative information about their coverage to support informed decision-making. 

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Visiting Guidelines

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Payment Information

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