Having a Baby in Canberra
Having a Baby in Canberra is brought to you by the Women’s Health Matters, an independent, non-partisan thinktank, that works to improve the health and wellbeing of women in the ACT and surrounding region.
In 2016 Women’s Health Matters completed a Report called Women and Maternal Care in the ACT Consultation Report. The report was based on women’s stories about pregnancy, birth and post-birth care in the ACT. A strong theme that came out of the report was that women wanted consistency in the information they are able to access about maternity care choices available in the ACT.
The analysis of the consultation found a need to better assist women accessing information about local choices and services, where and when these services can be accessed and provide appropriate information and referral pathways into the local government and non-government services.
Having a Baby in Canberra is the result of the following recommendation outlined in the Consultation Report:
That WCHM, in conjunction with ACT Health, develop and implement a web based information portal which provides information on birthing options, models of care and the hospitals and facilities available in the ACT and Queanbeyan along with other areas such as breastfeeding and post-natal supports available in the community. This portal would be developed in conjunction with maternal healthcare stakeholders in the ACT local community and ACT Government services, with the overall aim, to ensure that women are aware of and can access local and relevant services and support at the right time in the right place to receive the right care.
