Health Act 1970
Medical and midwifery care for mothers.
62.—F131[(1) A health board shall make available medical, surgical and midwifery services for attendance to the health of women in respect of motherhood.
(1A) The services referred to in subsection (1) shall be provided otherwise than as in-patient services.
(1B) A health board shall not charge for the services provided under subsection (1).]
(2) A woman entitled to receive medical services under this section may choose to receive them from any registered medical practitioner who has entered into an agreement with the health board for the provision of those services and who is willing to accept her as a patient.
(3) When a woman avails herself of services under this section for a confinement taking place otherwise than in a hospital or maternity home, the health board shall provide without charge obstetrical requisites to such extent as may be specified by regulations made by the Minister.
Annotations
Amendments:
F131
Substituted and inserted (1.01.2014) by Health (Amendment) Act 2013 (31/2013), s. 18, S.I. No. 569 of 2013.
Modifications (not altering text):
C36
Term “registered medical practitioner” construed (3.07.2008) by Medical Practitioners Act 2007 (25/2007), s. 108(1), S.I. No. 231 of 2008.
Construction of references to registered medical practitioner and Medical Council, etc.
108.— (1) Every reference to a registered medical practitioner contained in any enactment or any statutory instrument shall be construed as a reference to a registered medical practitioner within the meaning of section 2.
...
C37
References to “health board” construed as references to Health Service Executive (1.01.2005) by Health Act 2004 (42/2004), ss. 56(a), 66, S.I. No. 887 of 2004.
Definitions (Part 10).
56.—In this Part “specified body” means—
(a) the health boards,
...
References to specified bodies.
66.—Subject to this Act, references (however expressed) to a specified body in any Act passed before the establishment day, or in any instrument made before that day under an Act, are to be read as references to the Executive, unless the context otherwise requires.