The ACT Government has accepted 65 recommendations from a review of maternity services in the Territory conducted by a Standing Committee in the Legislative Assembly.
Minister for Health, Rachel Stephen-Smith said the Inquiry, by the Assembly’s Committee on Health, Ageing and Community Services made 74 recommendations, highlighting opportunities to improve public maternity services and ensure that the care people received meet their individual needs and recognise their rights to choice and control.
“Since the Inquiry began, several programs and initiatives have been rolled out across the ACT public health system to improve maternity services,” Ms Stephen-Smith said.
“This includes the launch of Canberra Maternity Options, the completion of the successful home birth trial and a commitment to continue to deliver public home birth as an option for Canberra families,” she said.
“We know there is more work to be done across the public maternity system and are committed to improving our maternity services to meet the needs of families in the ACT and our surrounding region.”
Ms Stephen-Smith said the Government had agreed, or agreed-in-principle, to 65 of the Committee’s recommendations and noted nine.
She said the Territory would continue to implement programs and services to further improve the experiences of women and families who came into contact with the public maternity system in the ACT.
The Committee’s 122-page report Inquiry into Maternity Services in the ACT can be accessed at this PS News link.
