P26 - My Mater Midwife: A Collaborative Private MGP Model

Abstract

With the aim of increasing access to high quality continuity midwifery, Mater South Brisbane recently launched an innovative new model of collaborative private care called My Mater Midwife. Within this model, private clients of participating obstetricians have their care shared collaboratively between their chosen obstetrician and an endorsed midwife employed by the hospital. The primary midwife is on call for hospital presentations and eventually the birth, supported by a small midwifery team. Clients have their known midwife and known doctor present for their birth, enjoy the comfort of a private postnatal stay in hospital and receive the ongoing support of their primary midwife delivering homecare after discharge. The model will be explained in more detail including how we meet the needs and expectations of the various stakeholders and the challenges we have faced in establishing the model. This presentation has been developed in collaboration with one of the participating obstetricians, Di Poad whose contribution will be pre-recorded. Continuity midwifery models of care have been well established by research to improve client outcomes over a wide range of measurable factors. As a private hospital, Mater wanted to be able to offer this “gold standard” of care to private clients who were accessing their maternity care through private obstetricians. The model is aimed at people seeking the comfort of private maternity care along with the benefits of continuity midwifery. While challenging at times to establish mutually attractive terms of involvement for all stakeholders, the current model honours the professional contribution of both obstetricians and midwives while centring the birthing person and adapting care around their needs. Feedback from clients birthing in the model has been overwhelmingly positive.