A comprehensive 10-year plan has been released by the ACT Government today, Friday 24 June, aiming at better supporting the workforce to deliver “exceptional public maternity services.”

The ACT Government said the Maternity in Focus plan is a “holistic approach” that will improve maternity services focusing on families, equity, and evidence, supported by an over $12 million investment in the 2022-23 ACT Budget.

The first stage of the action plan sets out key actions, investments, and supports for priority changes over the coming four years.

Minister for Health Rachel Stephen-Smith said the Maternity in Focus plan addresses recommendations from the Legislative Assembly Inquiry into ACT Maternity Services as well as national and local strategies.

“We’ve taken a strategic and holistic approach to system and service-level reforms by developing a single, comprehensive public maternity system plan,” Minister Stephen-Smith said.

“Maternity in Focus is based on the expert advice of our workforce and engagement with key stakeholders and consumers.

“This plan has been produced through collaboration between the ACT Health Directorate, Canberra Health Services and Calvary Public Hospital Bruce, hearing the voices of families, midwives, GPs, specialists and non-government partners.”

Minister Stephen-Smith said Maternity in Focus’ goals and actions will “shape the maternity system” helping the Canberra region feel “more informed, empowered, and respected.”

“While there is a lot of work to do to deliver on the vision of Maternity in Focus, a lot of work is already underway to deliver better maternity care,” she said.

“This year’s budget investment and our commitment to maternity ratios and increasing access to the continuity model of care directly respond to the priorities we’ve heard from consumers and staff.”

What will the first action plan do?

The upcoming 2022-23 ACT Budget will see an investment of more than $12 million for the first action plan which contains 58 actions across 21 goals under four themes: Consumers, Best Practice Maternity Care, Clinical Governance and Data, and Workforce.

The action plan will:

•             Deliver workforce planning for maternity services across the system to ensure a sustainable workforce can deliver exceptional care.

•             Establish new scholarship opportunities for our dedicated midwives and doctors for education, including training for midwives in perinatal loss, perinatal mental health and to become lactation consultants.

•             Deliver a significant boost to northside maternity services including expanding the special care nursery and establishing a new Gestational Diabetes Mellitus service at Calvary Public Hospital Bruce.

•             Undertaking a scoping study for a residential service to support mental health care for new parents and increase parental attachment.

•             Identify and implement maternal satisfaction tools to ensure that care is tailored to individual needs and is accessible, inclusive, respectful and connected between service providers.

•             Evaluate the Canberra Maternity Options program and work with consumers and key stakeholders to ensure services meet consumer and workforce needs.

In addition, the ACT Government have agreed with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation to fast-track negotiations on a ratios framework for midwifery and nursing in maternity services. The ACT would be the first jurisdiction to commit to ratios in maternity.

The Maternity in Focus plan commits to a target of 50 per cent of women and pregnant people having access to this model of care by 2028.

The ACT Government said work is also underway to:

•             Work with ACT Ambulance Service and ACT Insurance Authority to expand the current geographical boundary for the homebirth service to meet community demand.

•             Provide a new Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit at Centenary Hospital for Women and Children to support women and those experiencing complications in early pregnancy to receive prompt, compassionate care.

Maternity in Focus can be viewed at https://health.act.gov.au/about-our-health-system/maternity-focus

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