General News
15 May, 2023
Year of new maternity model delivers 33 babies
The Maryborough District Health Service (MDHS) is celebrating the anniversary of its new “gold standard” maternity services model, which in the past 12 months has seen 80 families welcome new newborns to the world. The Midwifery Group Practice...
The Maryborough District Health Service (MDHS) is celebrating the anniversary of its new “gold standard” maternity services model, which in the past 12 months has seen 80 families welcome new newborns to the world.
The Midwifery Group Practice Model of Care, also known as the Maryborough Model, is the first of its kind and was introduced in May last year.
Under the model, MDHS midwives provide one-to-one care to women throughout pregnancy, labour and birth and into early parenting.
It was co-designed with local midwives, GPs, obstetricians, Department of Health, the Australian Nursing & Midwifery Federation and Safer Care Victoria, as well as feedback from more than 70 local families.
Since it was introduced, around 80 local families have welcomed a new baby, with 33 born at the Maryborough Hospital under the model.
Evidence shows continuity of care leads to better outcomes for mothers and babies, MDHS CEO Nickola Allan said, with the model allowing more women to have their pregnancy care and birth locally.
“The implementation of the Maryborough Model was a long time in the making,” she said.
“It follows a three-year journey of working with maternity experts and the community to co-design a model to meet the needs of women and families in the Central Goldfields and our catchment area.
“Over the past year, we’ve been able to take the gold standard model for the provision of maternity care and bring it to reality.
“Our vision at MDHS is to change the healthcare story with our community and this is how we are doing it — one beautiful baby at a time.”
A primary midwife provides individualised care to each woman throughout their period of care and is supported by a wider team of midwives and a broader, multi-disciplinary healthcare team.
One such midwife is Rhiannan Haintz who said the model created a holistic shift in the way care, particularly to women, was delivered.
“I became a midwife after I had my own kids and it’s because I had such good care from my own midwife that I made that career shift,” she said.
“It’s always been about supporting women for me, a lot of people think midwifery is about babies but for me, supporting the woman through that pregnancy process and beyond is just as important.
“Before this model was introduced, someone who was pregnant would come into hospital and whichever midwife was on duty at the time was the one they got.
“What we’ve been doing for the last 12 months is one-to-one midwifery where we provide care with a known midwife to each woman booked in to MDHS and that care starts before birth and continues right through.”
Ms Haintz said the introduction of the model has made a significant difference to local women and families in the last 12 months.
“The evidence tells us that outcomes are substantially better under this model of care which means less premature births, less pregnancy complications and essentially a smoother entrance into parenthood,” she said.
“To be delivering that sort of care to a small rural community is actually amazing because usually it’s the rural sector that gets left out of big things like this.
“The thing that’s really stood out over the last 12 months, particularly with families who have returned to have subsequent babies, is the feedback that this way of care has made a difference for them.
“The midwifery team are so grateful that our community has been able to accept and embrace this change and join us wholeheartedly with this model of care that’s never been done here before.
“Over the 12 months the satisfaction of everyone has exploded, we’re so thankful the community were willing to give this model a go.”
Local mother Tash Hendrickson gave birth to two of her three sons at the Maryborough Hospital and said the care she received made all the difference.
“My care with MDHS was good — I had Colton, who is my second born in Maryborough and Lynkoln my third son was also born in Maryborough. The care that the midwives gave us was really good even the aftercare at home was really good,” she said.
“The care I received at the hospital made me feel like I was at home and even when I was in labor, the midwives were really encouraging.
“My oldest son was born in Ballarat and the travel there was really difficult. Back then, being a first time mum, it was really hard for me and I didn’t have all the support I have being here (in Maryborough) so having this service has definitely been helpful.”
To find out more about maternity services at Maryborough District Health Service visit mdhs-maternity.com.au
