Better Births Illawarra has been advocating for better continuity of care within the region. Photo: Keeli Royle.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park has acknowledged many pregnant women and their families have not received adequate care in NSW hospitals.
The minister apologised to women who have experienced birth trauma, as part of the government’s response to the state’s Birth Trauma Inquiry.
“We apologise to women who have not received the high standard of maternity care they should have,” he said.
“We also recognise and are grateful for the courage of the thousands of women who shared their deeply personal and difficult experiences with the Select Committee on Birth Trauma.”
The NSW Government has supported 42 of the inquiry’s 43 recommendations to improve the wellbeing of pregnant women and their families across the state.
The experiences of women heard throughout the Birth Trauma Inquiry highlighted the critical importance of respectful, compassionate, trauma-informed and culturally safe maternity care.
“The NSW Government supports in full or in principle 42 of the 43 recommendations, noting that the other recommendation is for the chair to action,” the minister said.
“We have heard what matters most to women, and their families.”
The NSW Government has announced NSW Health will accelerate five initiatives over the next 12 months in response to the Birth Trauma Inquiry, to ensure women and their families receive compassionate, respectful, evidence-based and equitable maternity care.
The five initiatives to be accelerated are increasing access to maternity continuity of care models, embedding trauma-informed maternity care, improving the way information is provided to women, improving consent processes in maternity care, and supporting women who experience pregnancy complications.
NSW Health also consulted with more than 18,000 women, their partners and families to develop ‘Connecting, listening and responding: A Blueprint for Action – Maternity Care in NSW’ (the Blueprint), published in March 2023.
The department said local health districts across NSW would use the Blueprint to guide redesign and improvement of maternity services.
Initiatives to improve maternity care across NSW include programs Brighter Beginnings, Family Start Package and Pregnancy Connect.
A review of the SAFE START policy will be conducted to ensure evidence-based psychosocial and mental health screening and referral of women to specialist support services.
A Perinatal Loss guideline will be developed to strengthen bereavement support to parents who experience pregnancy or newborn loss.
A Maternity Co-Leadership Model will be established to ensure senior midwifery and obstetric leadership in each local health district.
The NSW Government will also spend more than $2.5 billion across four years to recruit and retain more skilled nurses, midwives, allied health workers and clinicians.
Original Article published by Zoe Cartwright on Region Illawarra.
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