We are in the process of developing our Maternity Services Plan. This plan will help inform maternity care for expecting parents and will provide a framework for the delivery of multiple maternity services.
What are maternity services?
Inpatient (a person who stays in the hospital while under care/treatment) Maternity services are provided at Ipswich Hospital, with outpatient (a person who received care/treatment without being admitted in the hospital) and postnatal (post-delivery) follow up available at multiple community and rural hospital sites. The service offers Midwifery Group Practices to provide continuity of care for people throughout their pregnancy, birth, and postnatal period.
The birthing suite at Ipswich Hospital currently has 11 beds and the maternity ward has 28 overnight maternity beds. Ipswich Hospital also offers a range of services to people with gynaecological disorders and conditions.
The outpatient service provides pregnancy care clinics, Gynaecology clinics, birthing classes, and early pregnancy services conducted by multidisciplinary teams. The service has a prison visiting service for pregnancy care and postnatal services; however, parents need to attend Ipswich Hospital for birthing. Community midwife clinics are run for low risk pregnancies from Goodna, Redbank Plains, Laidley, and South Ripley.
The service includes a Bereavement Midwife who supports people experiencing a loss in birth suite. They will touch base with people experiencing a loss in birth suite and after they have gone home. The Refugee Midwife sees people from a refugee background in a community clinic before birth when they attend for their pregnancy care clinic appointment at the hospital and after birth. The Pasifika Midwife cares for people as the refugee midwife does for people from a Pacific Island background.
What is a Maternity Services Plan?
The WMH Maternity Services Plan highlights the importance of quality maternity services for expecting parents in the West Moreton Region. The Plan will comprise considerations on providing a range of maternity support services including pregnancy care options, birthing options, culturally appropriate services, and continuity in midwifery care.
WMH are keen to hear the insights of consumers who live in the West Moreton region and who are passionate about helping to improve the Maternity Services we provide.
What is the Maternity Services Plan workshop?
The Maternity Services Plan workshop will engage WMH staff and consumer representatives in co-designing the new Maternity Services Plan. The workshop will involve round-table discussions on topics such as induction of labour, culturally safe care, person-centred pregnancy care, continuity of midwifery care, bereavement in pregnancy, midwifery practice and human rights, and the application of WMH midwifery models.
Consumer representation is crucial to ensuring the services plan is well informed and meets the needs and expectations of West Moreton families.
What is the commitment required by the consumer representative?
The Maternity Services Plan workshop will be held at:
8.30am to 12.00pm
Thursday, 26 August 2021
Ipswich
Consumer representatives involved in the Maternity Services Plan workshop will need to be available to attend the workshop in person, on that date. Consumer Representatives will receive $40 per hour as a sitting fee for attending the workshop.
What kind of consumer are we looking for?
We are seeking consumers who have had a child/children previously, who have birthed either in a hospital facility or other alternative birthing scenario, and who currently live in the West Moreton area. The consumer and community representatives ideally would be prepared to share their experiences with others, would be able to provide suggestions and insight on a range of birthing topics.
If you are interested in becoming a consumer representative for the Maternity Services Plan workshop, please complete the short expression of interest form and return this to wm.communityengagement@health.qld.gov.au by 12pm on Wednesday, 18 August 2021.
If you would like further information or assistance with the expression of interest form, contact West Moreton Health Senior Engagement Officer Trisha Hansen at wm.communityengagement@health.qld.gov.au or by phone on 0429 595 304.