The ACT Government’s 10-year Maternity in Focus plan will improve support for healthcare staff and deliver better maternity services for the community.

More than $12 million in the upcoming 2022-23 ACT Budget will be invested to:

• Deliver workforce planning for maternity services across the system to ensure a sustainable workforce that can deliver exceptional care.
• Establish new scholarship opportunities for our dedicated midwives and doctors for education, including training for midwives in perinatal loss, perinatal mental health and to become lactation consultants.
• Deliver a significant boost to northside maternity services including expanding the special care nursery and establishing a new Gestational Diabetes Mellitus service at Calvary Public Hospital Bruce.
• Undertaking a scoping study for a residential service to support mental health care for new parents and increase parental attachment.
• Identify and implement maternal satisfaction tools to ensure that care is tailored to individual needs and is accessible, inclusive, respectful and connected between service providers.
• Evaluate the Canberra Maternity Options program and work with consumers and key stakeholders to ensure services meet consumer and workforce needs.

The ACT Government has also agreed to fast-track negotiation on a ratios framework for midwifery and nursing in maternity services – making the ACT the first to commit to ratios in maternity.

Work is also underway to:

• Work with ACT Ambulance Service and ACT Insurance Authority to expand the current geographical boundary for the homebirth service to meet community demand.
• Provide a new Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit at Centenary Hospital for Women and Children to support women and those experiencing complications in early pregnancy to receive prompt, compassionate care.

The plan has been developed in collaboration with families, midwives, GPs, specialists and non-government partners.

The 2022-23 ACT Budget will be delivered on 2 August.

The Maternity in Focus can plan can be viewed at on the ACT Health Website.