New maternity service

New maternity service for Collarenebri and Mungindi

(9/6/15)

A much-needed outreach maternity program that provides antenatal services to Aboriginal women in two isolated rural communities has commenced. The service allows Aboriginal women to access comprehensive antenatal care on country and closer to home, and to receive timely referrals to specialised perinatal services.

The NSW Rural Doctors Network (RDN) has worked closely with Hunter New England Local Health District (HNE LHD), Western NSW Local Health District (Western LHD), Pius X Aboriginal Health Service, and South West Hospital & Health Service to establish a new GP-obstetrician and midwife service for Aboriginal women and babies in Collarenebri and Mungindi. The service is funded through the Medical Outreach Indigenous Chronic Disease Program, which is an Australian Government initiative administered in NSW by RDN. 

The antenatal health clinics are led by Dr Scott Finlay and Moree District Health Service midwives who provide bi-monthly outreach visits to each town. Dr Finlay said that the clinics aim to address the immediate needs of pregnant Aboriginal women and infants in these communities and to prevent life-long chronic disease for the next generation.

The free service commenced in Collarenebri on April 21 and Mungindi on May 12. The clinics will operate each month, alternating between the two towns.

L-R: Lynne McQueen, HNE Health Clinical Midwife Specialist; Kylie Murray and baby Aliesha; GP Obstetrician Dr Scott Finlay; Barbara Schultz, HNE Health Maternity Unit Manager; Katrina Widders, HNE Health Administration Officer.

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