Maternity Services Review A Good Beginning - ANF
Type: Union News Subject: General
24 February 2009
The Australian Nursing Federation (ANF) welcomes the release of the Maternity Services Review congratulating the Federal Government on the emphasis on bringing all Australian women and their families' access to safe, quality and comprehensive maternity services.
Ged Kearney, ANF Federal Secretary, said the focus on improving choice for Australian women through its support for an expanded role for midwives and expansion of access to Medicare and to the PBS to appropriately qualified midwives showed that the Maternity Services Review had understood the needs of women in Australia and the professional skills and knowledge available within the midwifery workforce.
"Midwives deliver comprehensive and professional care during all stages of maternity care, including ante-natal and post-natal care, and women and families throughout Australia would most certainly benefit from an expansion of midwifery care, particularly for Indigenous maternity services programs."
"Midwives are recognised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the health professionals best able to deliver safe, cost effective maternity services to most women", Ms Kearney said.
The ANF will make a submission to the review supporting any changes that give women greater access to midwife lead services.
"The ANF looks forward to continuing to contribute to the improvement of maternity services in Australia, particularly when the needs of mothers and their babies are at the centre of the debate. We look forward to the development of collaborative models of care and ultimately to seeing greater access to quality care for mothers and families."
At first glance this review begins to address the barriers to this access being achieved."
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