ACRRM urges State and Federal action on rural and remote maternity services

Both Commonwealth and State governments must prioritise the needs of women and their families and act to improve access to rural and remote maternity services, says Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) President Dr Ewen McPhee.

ACRRM strongly supports the retention of rural and remote maternity and birthing services.  This is a national and state-wide issue which can significantly affect the health and wellbeing of rural women and their families and the economic and social fabric of rural and remote communities. 

 “The College urges state and federal governments to take individual and coordinated steps to proactively stop the further downgrading of rural maternity services and to re-establish facilities which have been closed.

 “Many closures have occurred under the guise of quality and safety and the need to manage risk. “However, there is ample evidence that outcomes for rural birthing services are as good as, or better than, urban counterparts,” Dr McPhee says.

“Furthermore, the loss of maternity services in rural towns diminishes the overall health service quality for rural communities and significantly lowers maternal safety.

 “High quality maternity services can be provided by Rural Generalist doctors who often have procedural skills in obstetrics and anaesthetics.

“Working closely with midwives and other health professionals, they are part of a dedicated maternity team which has the skills to deal with obstetric emergencies.” Dr McPhee says

The College also recommends that rural and remote hospitals be prepared and equipped to cope with obstetric emergencies and unplanned births, both through the provision and maintenance of equipment and infrastructure, and staff upskilling and training.

 “We must put the health of women and families in rural and remote communities in the hands of Rural Generalists who are skilled at providing high quality, continuous care, and we must have the appropriate infrastructure in place to accommodate appropriate service and care,” Dr McPhee adds

Further Information:

To access ACRRM’s College Submission on Queensland Rural Maternity Services, please click here.