A program providing rural and regional midwives and nurses with clinical placements at Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital will be expanded by the state government.
The Maternity Connect Program is run out of the Sunshine hospital and enables rural and regional midwives to completed clinical placement at a larger hospital to develop their skills.
Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas visited Joan Kirner hospital on Monday, June 2, to announce a $95 million package to better support nurses and midwives at every stage of their careers.
Included in the package is $1.3 million to expand the Maternity Connect Program.
The funding will also be used to support 1100 nursing and midwifery undergraduates students to work while they study, support newly qualified enrolled nurses entering the workforce through the Enrolled Nurse Transition to Practice Program, embed new nurse practitioner roles across the public health services and deliver professional development and clinical training for 200 urgent care nurses working in rural and remote communities.
“Our nurses and midwives are at the core of our health system – and we’re backing them with the extra resources, training and the career opportunities they deserve,” Ms Thomas said.
St Albans MP Natalie Suleyman said, “We’re strengthening our dedicated health workforce so Victorians can continue to get the care they need, when and where they need it – including right here at the Joan Kirner Women’s and Children’s Hospital”.
