ANDERSON RAISES RURAL MIDWIVES DURING PARLIAMENT

Tuesday, 21 February 2012 14:19

Media Releases - Kevin Anderson Media Release

21 February 2012

 ANDERSON RAISES RURAL MIDWIVES DURING PARLIAMENT

Member for Tamworth Kevin Anderson has today raised the importance of the rural midwifery program in the NSW Parliament

Kevin Anderson said The Rural Midwifery Program is a comprehensive and rewarding program which offers a Postgraduate Diploma of Midwifery, with a specific rural focus, through Charles Sturt University and the participating hospitals within the northern section of Hunter New England Local Health District. Those hospitals include Tamworth, Armidale, Moree, Inverell and Narrabri.

"Recently I attended the 19^th rural midwifery graduation ceremony at Tamworth Rural Referral Hospital where 4 nurses graduated to Midwives.

"Graduates from this program have been the mainstay of many of our rural maternity units over almost two decades enabling continued provision of locally based maternity services.

"It is important to build services around the delivery of care. When it comes to maternity, we need to stay focussed on keeping the woman at the centre of care.

"It is well known that attracting health workers to rural areas is an ongoing challenge. That applies across all disciplines, including midwifery, that's why this program plays such an importance role.

"I raised this in Parliament today because we need to boost our workforce and to put on record that I look forward to working closely with Hunter New England Local Health District to look at how we can provide more opportunities for nurses looking to transition to midwifery and the appropriate funding to make it happen.

"We have some of the best administrators and clinicians in our area and I thank Acting Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Ricky Bradbery, and program coordinator and Midwife Consultant Area Maternity Services, Robin Skewes, for their tireless efforts in this area.

 ENDS