Publicly Funded Homebirth Currently Available in Australia

[Ang]

In Australia Homebirth is largely unfunded by the government, but there are certain places where you can access it.

Be aware, however, that there are often restrictions placed on women who choose to homebirth through the public system, examples which may deem you too high risk are: VBAC, twins, breech, being a first time etc (check out the fineprint at the establishment you are interested in, there are variations, and exceptions) so many women in Australia will still opt to hire an Independant Midwife, as many of them are comfortable and experienced with VBAC, twins, breech etc, it is of course something which would be negotiated by you with the individual midwife.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Community Midwifery Programme - http://www.cmwa.net.au/

NEW SOUTH WALES

NEWCASTLE
Belmont Birthing Service Homebirth Program
Freestanding birth centre within Belmont Hospy, also offering a homebirth service
Belmont District Hospital
Croudace Bay Rd, Belmont
Ph: (02) 4923 2204
Midwifery Coordinator: Carolyn Hastie, 0428112786

SYDNEY
St George Hospital Homebirth Service
The hospital has a homebirth service aka the maternity outreach program.
St George Hospital
Gray Street, Kogarah
Ph: (02) 9113 1111
Midwifery Coordinator: Shea Caplice

(The Sutherland Hospital and the Royal Hospital for Women are both planning homebirth services for the near future also.... watch this space for more information.)

TAMWORTH

Robin Skewes CMC at Tamworth Base Hospital is authorised to attend homebirths through the public system.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Midwifery Group Practice, Women's and Children's Hospital (public)
72 King William Rd, North Adelaide, SA ph: (08) 8161 7819
contact - cywhs.muhmgp@cywhs.sa.gov.au
http://www.wch.sa.gov.au/services/az...ons/wab/mid_gp
Midwife-led continuity of carer model, offering known midwife plus back-up midwife through pregnancy, birth and first six weeks postnatal. Midwife consults with obstetric and other staff as needed. Takes women of all risk categories, but limited to about 1,000 women per year, some geographical limits apply. Care provided in community, home and hospital. Book in via first appointment with Women's Outpatients Clinic on (08) 8161 7592. Waterbirth and VBAC supported . No charges to public patients. No private patients or GP-share care: care is midwife-led.

Northern Women's Community Midwifery Program (public)
28 Philip Highway, Elizabeth, SA ph: (08) 8252 3711
Offers known midwife plus back-up through pregnancy, birth and first 4-6 weeks postnatal. Located within Northern Women's Community Health Centre with close working relationships with psychologist, domestic violence health worker, interpreters, etc. Midwife works in collaboration with obstetric team at hospital. Program takes women of all risk categories. Limited to 140 women per year, and only for residents of council areas of Salisbury, Playford and Tea Tree Gully. Antenatal, postnatal and birth care in community and home, and at assessment unit at Lyell McEwin Hospital. Waterbirth, homebirth and VBAC supported; No charges to public patients; No private patients or GP-share care: care is midwife-led.

NORTHERN TERRITORY

Community Midwifery Practice & Homebirth Service in Darwin & Alice Springs

Darwin: ph: (mobile) 0417 810 535
Alice Springs: ph: (mobile) 0401 114 188

This is a Northern Territory government supported home birth service within the Community Health Branch of the Department of Health & Community Services (DHCS). The service is located in Alice Springs and Darwin and is provided to enable Home Birth Midwives, in collaboration with the multidisciplinary health team, to provide effective and professional primary midwifery care across pregnancy through to the postpartum period. The midwives support eligible women electing to labour and birth at home if they live within the specified boundaries.

TASMANIA - N/A

ACT - N/A

QUEENSLAND - N/A

VICTORIA - N/A

[meitaimama]

Thanks for all this info! But as far as I know, the Midwifery Group Practice at the WCH in SA does not offer home birth, only birth at the hospital. Has this changed recently? If, so, I've gotta try and get into the programme!

[Ang]

Apparently they are kind of teetering on the edge, a bit of in house politics going on. Fingers crossed it will be very very soon.

[meitaimama]

Wow - that would be great! I m currently getting antenatal care through the midwife programme at Flinders medical centre, hopefully giving birth at their birth centre, but I would much rather have a home birth! It could be too late for me though....

Thanks!

[hanabi]

Queensland will no doubt be the last to let homebirth be publically funded.

[emd]

Nope, I reckon ACT will. We don't even have insurance coverage for private homebirth midwives, and women need to book for the Birth Centre before 6 weeks or they're stuck with the regular hospital delivery suites.

[hanabi]

No insurance here either Em. Midwives risk their family home in some cases, to practise homebirth.

I would have thought that ACT would be much more progressive given the stance on marijuana and prostitution!

[emd]

The ACT Government's excuse for not doing something about insurance for independent midwives is that our population base is too small for the ACT Government to cover it - that it would only take one person to sue for the system to become unviable.

I wonder what percentage of homebirth women end up taking their midwife to court compared to the perentage of women taking private obs to court? I would expect that women who choose homebirth in the first place are taking a higher than average level of personal responsibility for the outcome of the birth.

[Ang]

Here is a link to the SA Govt Homebirth Policy

www.health.sa.gov.au/ppg/portals/0/planned_home_birth_policy_SA.pdf

and the information flyer about homebirth in SA

www.health.sa.gov.au/ppg/portals/0/planned_home_birth_brochure_SA.pdf


So anyone in SA, get onto your local hospies/BC's, include a copy of the policy and brochure in your letter asking when they are going to begin offering the option of homebirth. Send copies of your letters to your MP, the Minister of Health, and the PM.

Get a bit of consumer pressure happening!

[nessies]

It would be so wonderful to have this in Qld, and allow access for all mothers