Published Friday, 22 January, 2010 at 05:31 PM
Deputy Premier and Minister for Health
The Honourable Paul Lucas
Pilot project will establish Beaudesert maternity plan
Deputy Premier and Minister for Health Paul Lucas today said he was pleased a six month project had been established to develop a primary maternity services plan for Beaudesert Shire.
Mr Lucas said at the 2009 election the Bligh Government committed almost $42 million over three years to expand maternity services in rural and regional areas.
“The Bligh Government is delivering on yet another election promise to ensure more care for women and babies in rural and remote Queensland, closer to where they live, including the Rural Maternity Initiative (RMI) and Newborn and Family Drop-in Services (NFDS).
“What we are looking at in Beaudesert, and what we have seen work extremely well in other areas such as Toowoomba and Townsville, is a midwife based model or care that is safe and sustainable.
Mr Lucas said the project, funded through the Rural Maternity Initiative was headed by midwifery and nursing director Hazel Brittain.
A local stakeholder group has been established to guide the project, and includes community members, local GPs, hospital staff, and representatives from Queensland Ambulance Service, Griffith University, the Maternity Coalition and Council.
Mr Lucas said the project was set to conclude in May 2010.
“I am very much looking forward to the outcome of the project,” he said.
Currently mothers are able to receive antenatal outpatient and postnatal community midwifery services at Beaudesert Hospital due to an integrated midwifery and obstetrics service provided through Logan Hospital.
The existing service at Beaudesert Hospital includes a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist who provide antenatal care as part of a team which includes trained and experienced midwives.
In addition, a new midwifery antenatal clinic opened in Jimboomba in February 2009, with plans to include specialist obstetric services by February 2010.
Ends.
Contact: 3234 1185
Mr Lucas said at the 2009 election the Bligh Government committed almost $42 million over three years to expand maternity services in rural and regional areas.
“The Bligh Government is delivering on yet another election promise to ensure more care for women and babies in rural and remote Queensland, closer to where they live, including the Rural Maternity Initiative (RMI) and Newborn and Family Drop-in Services (NFDS).
“What we are looking at in Beaudesert, and what we have seen work extremely well in other areas such as Toowoomba and Townsville, is a midwife based model or care that is safe and sustainable.
Mr Lucas said the project, funded through the Rural Maternity Initiative was headed by midwifery and nursing director Hazel Brittain.
A local stakeholder group has been established to guide the project, and includes community members, local GPs, hospital staff, and representatives from Queensland Ambulance Service, Griffith University, the Maternity Coalition and Council.
Mr Lucas said the project was set to conclude in May 2010.
“I am very much looking forward to the outcome of the project,” he said.
Currently mothers are able to receive antenatal outpatient and postnatal community midwifery services at Beaudesert Hospital due to an integrated midwifery and obstetrics service provided through Logan Hospital.
The existing service at Beaudesert Hospital includes a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist who provide antenatal care as part of a team which includes trained and experienced midwives.
In addition, a new midwifery antenatal clinic opened in Jimboomba in February 2009, with plans to include specialist obstetric services by February 2010.
Ends.
Contact: 3234 1185