Local maternity care improvement plans published for Theodore, Australia
on 06 September 2021
Improvements to maternity services for pregnant women in Theodore, Australia, have been published, following recommendations from a clinical review.
Better access to family friendly and affordable accommodation, and better access to local Telehealth services for pregnant women are just some of the improvements that will be made to local maternity services following recommendations from a clinical review by Queensland’s Rural Maternity Taskforce.
CQ Health’s Executive Director for Nursing, Midwifery and Quality and Safety, Sue Foyle, said: “We always try to provide as many services as close to home when it is safe and sustainable to do so. Maternity Services in Theodore include outpatient antenatal care with a midwife, shared care antenatal appointments with GPs and postnatal midwife/GP care.
“Midwife-supported telehealth appointments and continuity of midwifery care with the Midwifery Group Practice for the Banana shire (located in Biloela) are also available.”
The report identified opportunities to strengthen local maternity services to be delivered over the next six to nine months including:
- Improved access to antenatal education and support for women and families
- Address gaps in specialist maternity, allied health and nursing care
- Use telehealth infrastructure to reduce the need for travel
- Improve communication and information sharing between local health providers and other maternity services
- Work with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to make maternity services more culturally appropriate
- Provide greater access to family friendly, affordable accommodation
- Improve transport for women and families.
The clinical report was conducted to examine accessibility, provision, safety and sustainability of maternity services. It was also conducted to gain an understanding of maternity issues and expectations within communities to develop recommendations for improvements.
The report concluded that that women value and prefer continuity of midwifery care and were aware of the latest progress in improving maternity services both antenatally and postnatal support.
Queensland’s Rural Maternity Taskforce clinical report can be found here.