In response to the current increase in birthing numbers and maternity workforce challenges experienced, the Victorian Government recently allocated $1.73 million of one-off additional funding to Western Health in 2021-22 to support an immediate uplift in the workforce capacity at Joan Kirner Women’s & Children’s and Bacchus Marsh Hospital.
The aim of the funding is to address parallel demand and workforce pressures through additional staff to improve the working environment in maternity services and ensure the maintenance of safe and high-quality services for our mothers and babies .
Sue Sweeney (Director of Midwifery Practice) and the Women’s & Children’s leadership team are working closely with our midwives to ensure that this funding is well spent and makes the greatest difference.
Priority areas include maximising roster effectiveness (taking into account fatigue management), establishing/reinforcing clear process and policies around part-time staff working additional shifts, assisting with recruitment and onboarding of new staff, and working to build casual/pool staffing capacity.
Working with midwives, we are looking at additional staff in areas of highest need, with a focus on best responding to surge pressures. This includes looking at night shift staffing levels.
Our maternity services have been so busy, and our midwives have done such an amazing job caring for our women and babies during this unprecedented demand. It is really fantastic that we have some dedicated funding to provide additional support and resources.