New birthing initiative given the thumbs up by CQUniversity
Published on 06 August, 2008
CQUniversity midwifery senior lecturer Dawn Hay has congratulated the Queensland Government for its $9 million initiative (announced Sunday, August 3) to improve regional and rural maternity services.
"It's a great day for mums and dads and regional, rural and remote communities - taking birth back to the bush," Ms Hay said.
Ms Dawn Hay has congratulated the Queensland Government for their new birthing initiative."Recognition by the Labor Government to entrust low-risk birthing back to childbearing women and midwives recognises that women not only have the power to birth, they have the capacity to be great parents when supported by their partners, family members and the communities in which they live and work."
"Queensland has a great opportunity to become a leader in regional and rural midwifery lead services."
According to Ms Hay, all we need now is for this policy to be rolled out all over Queensland.
CQUniversity already supports the ideal of ‘one to one' midwifery care through its innovative Rural and Remote Master and Graduate Diploma of Midwifery programs, through which registered nurses from the bush can study via distance education to become a midwife.
Ms Hay said there was still more to be done for midwives.
"Student midwives need scholarship support to do their studies, plus there is an urgent need to recognise the role of midwives who support student midwives in the clinical area."
She believes this recognition should be through the Career Pathways system and supported by appropriate remuneration.
Under the new initiative, Ipswich, Logan and Charleville mothers will now be able to access one-on-one midwifery support from conception to post-birth.
Premier Anna Bligh said the Government was investing in giving more Queensland mothers access to the range of specialised support services offered by midwives.
She said mums-to-be will have access to the same midwife, or small team of midwives, for every stage of pregnancy - someone familiar to answer their questions and support them through this very emotional time.