Table of Contents (NMAP)
NMAP | Table of Contents | Executive Summary | Full copy (pdf) | Endorsements | Statements of Support

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Acknowledgements

Abbreviations

Glossary

Executive summary & recommendations 

 5
1.

Introduction 

 9
2.

The case for reform of maternity services 

 9

2.1 

 Australia’s comparatively high intervention rates  9

2.2 

 Failure to match international best practice  10

2.3 

 One-to-One continuity of midwifery care lowers intervention rates 12

2.4  

 Benefits for Indigenous women 14

2.5 

 Benefits for socio-economically disadvantaged women  12

2.6 

 Benefits for women in regional and rural areas  15

2.7 

 Limited access to one-to-one continuous midwifery care  16

2.8 

 Benefits to consumers from enhanced choice in maternity services  16

2.9 

 Community midwifery care is cost effective  17

2.10 

 Midwifery-led care as a medium term solution to the indemnity crisis 18
3. 

The Principles and Practice of Community Midwifery 

 20

3.1 

 Principles of community midwifery care  20

3.2 

 Community Midwifery Programs  21

3.3 

 The WA CMP: A successful model  22

4. Maternity services policy reform 

 23

5. Implementing Community Midwifery Programs 

 26

5.1 

 Funding  27

5.2 

 Workforce Issues  27

5.3 

 Extended education  29

5.4 

 Professional standards  29

5.5 

 Timeframe  30

6. Conclusion 

 31

7. Appendices 

 32

A 

 Government inquiries into maternity services  32

B 

 Comparison of Costings for standard hospital maternity care with community midwifery models of care  34

C  

 Examples of existing programs offering some level of Midwifery-led care 40

D 

 Organisation and management structure of the Community Midwifery Program, Western Australia  42

8. References 

 44