Maternity Services Review

Maternity Services Review - Overview

The Australian Government is strongly committed to improving maternity services and it understands the importance to women of having a range of birthing options available.

The Government is undertaking a Review of Maternity Services (the Review). The Review will be led by the Commonwealth Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer, Ms Rosemary Bryant.

Ms Rosemary Bryant, Commonwealth Chief Nurse and Midwifery Officer

The Review is the first step in developing a comprehensive plan for maternity services into the future.

The Review will:

• canvass a wide range of issues relevant to maternity services, including antenatal services, birthing options, postnatal services up to six weeks after birth, and peer and social support for women in the perinatal period;
• ensure that all interested parties have an opportunity to participate; and
• inform the development of a National Maternity Services Plan.

The success of the Review depends largely upon the participation of people and organisations in the community. A consultation process has been conducted to allow individuals, groups and organisations with an interest in maternity services to participate.

As part of the Review consultation process the Department prepared Improving Maternity Services in Australia: A Discussion Paper from the Australian Government

If you are unable to access the PDF please send an email to Maternity.Services.Review@health.gov.au and an alternative copy will be provided.

Thank you to all those who have contributed to the consultation process.

The Department of Health and Ageing will draw on the information it has received from participants in the consultation process and information, research and expertise assembled from other sources to form a report to the Minister for Health and Ageing, the Hon Nicola Roxon MP, by the end of 2008.

Important

The submission period for the Maternity Services Review has now closed. Although late submissions can be provided, the Department cannot guarantee that submissions received after 31 October 2008 will be considered. Late submissions will not be published on the website.


The Department has received a large number of submissions and is working to publish them on the website. Thank you for your patience.

Please note that we are endeavouring, where possible, to publish entire submissions, including the names of submittors. However, in certain instances, we may need to remove material that includes personal information about third parties in order to protect the privacy of those individuals and to ensure that the Commonwealth complies with its own legal obligations.