$42 million investment to bring maternity services closer to home for rural and regional women

• Women living in rural and remote communities to benefit from $42 million funding for maternity services 
• The Queensland Government is investing a further $42 million over the next 4 years to expand rural and regional birthing services. 
• This will include an expansion of outreach obstetric and gynaecology services, including telehealth-enabled care, and to support outreach and retrieval services. 

Expansion of outreach obstetric and gynaecology services will support women living in rural and regional Queensland to safely birth closer to home, reducing the need to travel to larger centres and support their health and mental well-being.

This funding will enable us to strengthen the models of maternity care to be strengthened and will support existing maternity sites to continue providing safe birthing services.

This investment will also assist in attracting and retaining clinical staff to strengthen models of care.

The funding was announced today as part of the 2023-2024 State Budget.

Quotes attributable to Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk:

“By strengthening maternity services in these communities, we will improve the experience of women and families who want to birth close to home when clinically safe to do so.

“Every budget, my Government has delivered record investment for our health system, and next week’s budget will continue this proud legacy.”

Quotes attributable to the Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick:

“The State’s remote, regional and rural birth services will be bolstered with a $42 million investment in this year’s budget. 

“The investment will mean more women living in regional Queensland will be able to give birth closer to home. 

“The funding will increase the capacity for regional hospitals to perform low risk births while also expanding the Flying Obstetrics and Gynaecology services.”

Quotes attributable to Health Minister, Shannon Fentiman:

“The Palaszczuk Government’s $42 million investment in maternity, obstetric and gynaecology services will support women living in rural and regional Queensland to safely receive care, including birthing services, closer to home, reducing the need to travel to larger centres.

“Our government is committed to working closely with local communities to carefully plan and re-establish other key maternity services.

“We know that providing maternity services close to where women live significantly improves health and well-being outcomes for both the mother and baby.

“Without this funding, there is a significant risk of higher incidences of preterm births, as well as increasing cultural distress where women are unable to maintain familial support for birth.

“This also allows culturally responsive care and ‘birthing on country’ to become an accessible service for First Nations women.”