O82 - Mandarin Caseload Midwifery Program-Using Non-English Language Concordance and continuity of midwifery care

Abstract

This presentation will focus on the experiences of bilingual midwives providing care to Chinese born women. It will also discuss the results of a retrospective cohort study that evaluates birth outcomes of the Mandarin Caseload Midwifery Program (MCMP). Cultural variances become more pronounced during the perinatal period, and language difficulties can be more impactful for women from non-English speaking backgrounds affected by the heterogeneity of health determinants, needs, and vulnerabilities. Discordant language communication, when a woman and care provider don't share proficiency in the same language, creates an added disadvantage. Chinese-born women are the third-largest group of women giving birth in Australia, and more than 20% of them require an interpreter when receiving maternity care. However, migrants are not just recipients of care but are also increasingly represented amongst clinicians providing care. At Westmead Hospital, we used an opportunity to utilise bilingual midwives to provide caseload midwifery services for women who share their ethnic background and first language. MCMP was established within an existing low-risk entry, no exit model of caseload midwifery care. It started in August 2019 with two full-time Mandarin-speaking midwives, each caring for 36 women a year. By September 2021 MCMP looked after 142 Chinese born women and their babies. The Midwives providing the care develop strong relationships with women. They feel more confident delivering education in their first language and understand and support the cultural differences encountered when accessing the Australian healthcare system . Routine audits evaluated the outcomes of care, and the data in this retrospective cohort review demonstrates high levels of vaginal birth (87%), lower reliance on epidural analgesia (30%), and shorter hospital stays. Westmead hospital MCMP demonstrates the benefits of language concordant care for midwives using bilingual skills and maternity care outcomes.