New model of care to support pregnant women attending hospital emergency departments

Pregnant women attending hospital emergency departments would immediately be transferred to maternity units under a new model of care announced today by NSW Minister for Health, Reba Meagher.

Ms Meagher said the new model of care was designed to provide women who presented to hospital with signs of miscarriage or complications with appropriate clinical care and emotional support.

"This is about making sure that pregnant women who present to hospital emergency departments receive not only the appropriate clinical care, but are accorded the dignity and support they need," Ms Meagher said.

"Under this model, women presenting to the emergency department of a hospital would be transferred straight to the maternity unit.

"There they will receive the clinical care and support they need from trained midwives and specialist staff."

Ms Meagher said Professor William Walters AM, Head of the Royal Hospital for Women at Randwick, would develop the protocols necessary for this model of care to be established in hospitals across NSW.

"Not all of our hospitals have maternity units, but it is important that we are able to provide an appropriate level of care for pregnant women presenting to emergency departments in any hospital regardless of where they live," Ms Meagher said.

"I have asked Professor Walters to look at how we can provide this kind of care in our smaller hospitals so that the model can be rolled out across the state."

Ms Meagher said the inquiry led by Professor Walters and Professor Clifford Hughes AO, Head of the Clinical Excellence Commission, would examine the case of Jana Horska who miscarried her child after presenting to the emergency department at Royal North Shore Hospital as well as other women who have experienced similar incidents at the hospital.

"The experience of Jana and Mark is tragic - but I am determined some good will come from it," Ms Meagher said.

"Since I took action to establish this inquiry, I have learned of more disturbing cases of women who have presented to emergency departments and not received the care they should have.

"This is not good enough.

"This new model of care will ensure that pregnant women presenting to hospital emergency departments can have confidence that they will have access to appropriate clinical care and that they will be treated with dignity and compassion."

For a range of health information, go online to www.health.nsw.gov.au.

Release Date: 2nd October 2007

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