Logan families to benefit from expanded community maternity services

Logan mothers will benefit from the return of community based midwifery care to the region with a new $2M annual investment from the Palaszczuk Government.

Health Minister Cameron Dick said the investment would fund six new midwives who will provide community-based antenatal and postnatal care to women as part of a midwifery group practice model of care. The midwives will be based in community maternity hubs, which will be selected following consultation with the community.

“The Palaszczuk Government is proud to be restoring community midwifery services that were cut by the Newman LNP Government, and improving outcomes for Logan mums and babies,” Mr Dick said.

“We know that in Logan there are groups of women who are missing out on adequate antenatal and postnatal care, and this service is squarely aimed at fixing this gap.

“Research shows that 7 per cent of pregnant women in Logan City are not accessing the recommended number of antenatal appointments, compared to 5 per cent for the rest of Queensland”

“We know there is a strong correlation between access to antenatal care and improved health outcomes for mother and baby.

“Through this restoration of community midwifery services, we want to boost the outcomes for Logan mums and babies, so they have the same outcomes and opportunities as those in other parts of Queensland.

“This new community based service will build on the existing midwifery group practice offered at Logan Hospital, providing continuity of care midwifery in the community throughout and after pregnancy, and including attendance at birth at Logan Hospital.

“I thank Logan Together, Maternity Choices Australia and the Queensland Community Alliance for helping us to plan this new service.”

Member for Logan, Linus Power, said the community maternity hubs are part of the Palaszczuk’s Government’s ongoing commitment to delivering maternity services that can meet the needs of mothers in the Logan area.

“Since community midwifery services were cut by the former government, I’ve been working with Cameron Dick to see what we could do to improve and restore local services,” Mr Power said.

“I’ve been on the side of local mums on this issue and this new service adds to the range of services already available at Logan Hospital.”

Member for Waterford and Minister for Communities, Women and Youth, Child Safety and the Prevention of Domestic and Family Violence, Shannon Fentiman, said the expansion of midwifery services back into the community was a big win for the Logan community and for Logan women.

“During the last state election, I and other Logan Labor members campaigned for the restoration of community midwifery services and I’m very proud that our Government has been able to deliver this for local women.

“Lack of access to transport, cultural and social issues are just some of the reasons why women don’t currently access adequate antenatal care and this push back into the community will go some way toward improving future access.”

Minister Dick said a new oversight committee would be established to support the implementation of the new model and the inclusion of community representatives on the committee would ensure it remained responsive to the needs of the Logan community.

The new model will also be subject to an evaluation to guide its future development commencing later this year. The model will also be supported with access to obstetric care where required.

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