❓ Dr. Pettitt asks about public maternity care in WA, including continuity of care, models of care access, and birth locations. The Minister provides data on births in public hospitals, birth centres, and home birth programs, but lacks historical data on specific models of care.
AnsweredQoN 268Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) With
regard to public maternity care in Western Australia: (a) what proportion of women receive care through
continuity of care programs at Western Australian public hospitals; (b) for the years 2009–2020, how many women per year
access each of the following models of care within public hospitals: (i) GP
shared-care; (ii) Community
midwifery care; and (iii) Midwifery
Group Practice; and (c) for the years 2009–2020,
how many of the total births in the state occurred in: (i) public
hospitals; (ii) birth
centres; and (iii) through
the publicly funded home birth program? (2) Data from the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare (2009-2019) shows that the proportion of births
in birth centres in Western Australia is increasing, and I ask, can the Minister advise on the factors or initiatives that are
contributing to this trend?
regard to public maternity care in Western Australia: (a) what proportion of women receive care through
continuity of care programs at Western Australian public hospitals; (b) for the years 2009–2020, how many women per year
access each of the following models of care within public hospitals: (i) GP
shared-care; (ii) Community
midwifery care; and (iii) Midwifery
Group Practice; and (c) for the years 2009–2020,
how many of the total births in the state occurred in: (i) public
hospitals; (ii) birth
centres; and (iii) through
the publicly funded home birth program? (2) Data from the Australian
Institute of Health and Welfare (2009-2019) shows that the proportion of births
in birth centres in Western Australia is increasing, and I ask, can the Minister advise on the factors or initiatives that are
contributing to this trend?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
12 October 2021
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Health
Response time
10 days
I am advised:
(1)(a) Of the 33,510 women birthing in WA, 2,470 (7.3%) had continuity of care through public Midwifery Group Practice models.
(b) The Midwives Notification System (MNS) commenced collection of maternity models of care data for all births occurring from 1 July 2021. Models of care information is not available for births occurring before this date.
(c) For the years 2009 to 2020 in Western Australia:
(i) 277,647 births occurred in public hospitals
(ii) 5,242 births occurred in birth centres
(iii) 2,747 births occurred through publicly funded home birth programs
(2) The NMHS, Women and Newborn Health Service (WNHS) Family Birth Centre (FBC) is popular with families in Western Australia due to the options of personalising an intimate patient-family directed birthing environment whilst ensuring access to emergency services. WNHS has seen an increase in popularity for the MGP and FBC models, with women wanting to know their care providers throughout their pregnancy and post-natal journeys.
(1)(a) Of the 33,510 women birthing in WA, 2,470 (7.3%) had continuity of care through public Midwifery Group Practice models.
(b) The Midwives Notification System (MNS) commenced collection of maternity models of care data for all births occurring from 1 July 2021. Models of care information is not available for births occurring before this date.
(c) For the years 2009 to 2020 in Western Australia:
(i) 277,647 births occurred in public hospitals
(ii) 5,242 births occurred in birth centres
(iii) 2,747 births occurred through publicly funded home birth programs
(2) The NMHS, Women and Newborn Health Service (WNHS) Family Birth Centre (FBC) is popular with families in Western Australia due to the options of personalising an intimate patient-family directed birthing environment whilst ensuring access to emergency services. WNHS has seen an increase in popularity for the MGP and FBC models, with women wanting to know their care providers throughout their pregnancy and post-natal journeys.
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