Maternity and Newborn Services Discovery Forum

EGHS hosted a Maternity and Newborn Services Discovery Forum in Pyrenees House on Thursday, August 10, with representatives from the Department of Health, the Grampians Health Service Partnership, Safer Care Victoria and key executive and maternity staff from health services in the Grampians Region in attendance.

The forum was an opportunity to collectively discuss the current maternal and newborn services in the region and to identify opportunities for future service provision. Jo Miller from the Department of Health facilitated the session with each health service (birthing and non-birthing services) presenting their models of care, capability frameworks and their strengths and threats to maternal and newborn services. Open group discussions and question time allowed for the identification of key areas that the group will continue to focus on.

Midwifery Nurse Unit Manager, Tracey Walters, presented for EGHS and took the opportunity to introduce our new Team-Based Obstetric Model which was well received by the group. The strong team of midwives was also a highlight of the EGHS presentation with this being attributed to our committed staff and the ongoing investment EGHS has in the training and development of midwives.

It was evident throughout the day that maternity and newborn services are a high priority for all health services as we strive to provide women and families in our communities with safe and high-quality experiences as close to home as possible. Strong partnerships and ongoing collaboration between health services and key stakeholders will ensure the sustainability of these services in the Grampians Region.