- Work is underway on a new Midwifery Birth Centre at Bentley Hospital, which will incorporate a new, contemporarymodel of care not previously available in WA
- Western Australia’s first publicly employed and credentialled Endorsed Midwife will work at the new birthing centre
- The Cook Government provided $2.6 million to design, build and fit-out the clinic, which is expected to open during the second half of 2024
Building work is underway on a new contemporary, midwife-led maternity service for Bentley Hospital, the first public health service in Western Australia to offer this model of care.
The new Midwifery Birth Centre will offer women the option of care by the same Endorsed Midwife for the duration of their pregnancy.
Carli Beange is the first publicly employed and credentialled Endorsed Midwife in WA. She will soon join eight other Endorsed Midwives and the Midwifery Management team in caring for women in the East Metropolitan catchment area.
Endorsed Midwives are highly skilled health practitioners who have undertaken additional training. They can order tests and ultrasounds relating to pregnancy, birth, and the newborn period, prescribe medications, as well as being able to refer women and babies to obstetricians and paediatricians as needed.
They also provide pregnant women with comprehensive care across the duration of their pregnancy, labour and birth, and throughout the postnatal period. Each pregnant woman is allocated the same Endorsed Midwife for the duration of their care.
The new birth centre at Bentley Hospital will include birthing pools, antenatal assessment rooms, a family room, birth suites, and a midwives’ hub, along with networking capability to share live birth data with other sites within the East Metropolitan Health Service (EMHS) area.
The Cook Government provided $2.6 million to design, build and fit-out the clinic. The service is expected to open in the second half of 2024, and women will be able to self-refer online.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
“The new Midwifery Birth Centre at Bentley Hospital will provide choice and stability for women during this exciting stage of their lives.
“We know how important continuity of care is, which is why the centre will connect women with an Endorsed Midwife who will be with them for their entire pregnancy journey.
“The new Centre is one of a suite of projects that will benefit pregnant women and their families, including the new Women and Babies Hospital at Murdoch, and major upgrades to maternity facilities at Osborne Park Hospital.”
As stated by Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson:
“It is fantastic to welcome Carli, our first publicly employed and credentialled Endorsed Midwife to Bentley Hospital.
“What we hear from WA women is that they want options when it comes to birthing, and that is what the Midwifery Birth Centre at Bentley Hospital offers.
“This contemporary model of care will provide women with a greater choice of birth setting with the overarching goal of enabling women-centred care and positive birth experiences.”
