ACRRM Supports Rural Health Commissioner’s call to improve rural maternity services

The Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine (ACRRM) congratulates National Rural Health Commissioner Professor Ruth Stewart on her maiden speech at the National Rural Press Club today, where she raised awareness of the need to act quickly to improve maternity services in rural and remote communities.

Professor Stewart’s speech highlighted how rural and remote mothers are nearly twice as likely to give birth prematurely, citing research which indicates outcomes could be vastly improved with access to continuity of care from Rural Generalists and healthcare teams.

ACRRM President Dr Sarah Chalmers, who attended the speech in Canberra on her first day representing the College, said the topic was an important and timely one to raise on World Prematurity Day.

“The fact that just two years ago statistics indicated that 13.5 percent of births in rural and remote cities were premature compared to just over eight percent in major cities, shows the great inequity of healthcare available to women outside urban regions,” Dr Chalmers says.

“Professor Stewart enforced that that research shows incidences halve when a woman is provided with culturally safe continuity of care throughout her pregnancy. 

“It is also encouraging to note, during her term as the National Rural Health Commission, she is calling for the re-establishment of rural and remote maternity units which are staffed by skilled Rural Generalists, nurses and allied health professionals who work together to provide complete care.

“We know that Rural Generalists have the skills and the knowledge to provide high quality continuity of care which results in improved health outcomes for rural mothers and babies.

“In my role as President, I join the National Rural Health Commissioner’s call to stop the closure of rural maternity services and re-establish birthing in rural and remote communities.

“I look forward to working closing with the Commissioner’s office to increase the number of Rural Generalists who are trained and available to provide the general practice and speciality skills needed to provide the care that rural and remote communities deserve,” Dr Chalmers says.