Improving Maternity Services in Australia
The Rudd Government is conducting a comprehensive review of maternity services in Australia canvassing a range of issues associated with the services across the spectrum of care including antenatal services, birthing options, postnatal services up to six weeks after birth, and peer and social support for women in the prenatal and postnatal periods. The Stillbirth Foundation congratulates the Minister for Health and Ageing, Nicola Roxon MP, for instigating this review and is pleased to have the opportunity to comment.
The Stillbirth Foundation has prepared a written response to this review focusing on the massive public health issue of stillbirth which can be viewed here at the Department of Health and Ageing's website.
The Foundation invited Deborah de Wilde OAM, in her capacity as Medical Advisor for the Stillbirth Foundation, to be our representative at a Round Table Discussion about Peer and Social Support in the Perinatal Period. Deborah is an Obstetric Social Worker who has many years experience in caring for families whose baby has died and is ideally suited to represent all families and babies who have died.
Deborah originally trained as a nurse and midwife, and during her early career worked with her colleagues Dr Peter Barr and Julie Dunsmore to develop a more humane and responsive way of caring for families experiencing the death of their baby. Along with Peter and Julie, Deborah is a co-founder of a support group for these families, the Stillbirth and Newborn Death Support (SANDS, NSW).
The groundbreaking care that Peter, Julie and Deborah offered families was portrayed in the award winning documentary, “Some Babies Die”. The experience of observing the manner in which birth and death was managed within a large teaching hospital, led Deborah to embark on a Social Work degree. Deborah is currently a Consultant Obstetrics Social Worker at the Mater, North Shore Private and Prince of Wales Private Hospitals where she co-ordinates the care of families who experience miscarriage, stillbirth or the death of their baby after birth. Over the years, Deborah has assisted many, many people who have lost a child in a variety of circumstances and has helped them ride the often frightening times and complex waves of emotions that accompanies the death of a baby.
Deborah is honoured by this opportunity to present to the Federal Government, the needs of families whose baby has died. The Stillbirth Foundation is, as always, incredibly thankful to Deborah for her commitment, dedication and knowledge and her willingness to share that with others.