Supporting new mums in the suburbs

Mater Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) was pleased to welcome Assistant Health Minister Nikki Boyd to their Acacia Ridge clinic demonstrating how antenatal care is delivered to women from expert clinicians without the need of frequent trips into hospital. 

 

The purpose-built clinic opened in 2012 run by the Benevolent Society, supports the needs of growing families in the community with, child health nurses, vaccinations clinics, mothers and babies’ groups plus playgroup offered in a relaxed, welcoming, accessible space.

 

Midwifery Group Practice Manager Jo Costello says Mater was so pleased when they found the space and said it was an excellent fit for the services they deliver in the community. 

 

“Our midwives who practice here have a caseload of women they support throughout their whole pregnancy. They can take on high or low risk pregnancies and are on call for the women for labour and birth of the baby,” Jo said.

 

“Mater started this model of care back in 2006, and it has been very successful and continued to grow.  We work collaboratively with the Mater multi-disciplinary team and we benchmark our service with Women’s Health Australasia. We have wonderful feedback from women about their care.”  

 

Midwife Ali Broderick says she enjoys working one-on-one with families supporting them through their pregnancy journey. 

 

“We are able to establish a trusted relationship with the mothers in our care and be very responsive to their health needs. The clinic is about empowering mothers and supporting them to be strong parents, this is a model of care that women really value,” Ali said. 

 

“The midwives work collaboratively with the child health nurses on-site providing a continuum of care to support both mother and baby post-partum, we can also connect new mums who live locally in our mother-baby groups or other community services if needed.  

 

“It’s an excellent space as women don’t have to travel for their appointments, it’s easily accessible and they can bring their other children along too. The clinic is co-located with long-stay childcare and a school establishing strong community connections.”

 

Ali said working in the MGP is a very rewarding role especially when you see mothers return to have their second or third child. 

 

“We feel we are part of these families lives and it’s wonderful to see them continue to return. We are providing these children with the best possible health and social connections to start their lives,” Ali said. 

 

Mater has additional MGP clinics located on the south-side of Brisbane including dedicated services for young women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and women from a refugee background.  

 

For more information on Mater’s Midwifery Group Practice you can call 07 3163 1968 or visit our website.