Maternity Services Integration Project Virtual Forum

WITH KAREN FRANCISCO, MARGARET CASHMAN AND RACHEL DOOLAN MSIP PROJECT TEAM, QAIHC

Maternity Services Integration Project Virtual Forum

On 16 September 2020, Queensland Aboriginal and Islander Health Council (QAIHC) held a virtual forum for the Maternity Services Integration Project (MSIP) with five participating sites. The sites were Apunipima Cape York Health Council, Gurriny Yealamucka Health Service Aboriginal Corporation, Mamu Health Service Limited, Mulungu Aboriginal Corporation Primary Health Care Service and Wuchopperen Health Service working in collaboration with Cairns Hospital and Health Service, Mareeba and Innisfail Hospitals.

The MSIP virtual forum was an opportunity for the participating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Health Organisations (ATSICCHOs) and their local Hospital and Health Services to come together to present the integration activities they have undertaken as part of their participation in the MSIP.

Each site led a presentation on the integration activity they undertook to address local needs, provided a breakdown of what antenatal services were offered before and after their participation in the MSIP, barriers and enablers to providing a more integrated maternity service in their community and ‘where to now’ to ensure that mothers birthing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander babies are able to access culturally appropriate maternity services. Presentations highlighted a range of site achievements including: memorandums of understanding that were being finalised collaboration and strengthened relationships resources—calendar, brochures, posters sharing and coordination of care joint service delivery in the ATSICCHO implementing telehealth for high risk patients sharing patient information identifying and improving gaps.

With the completion of the MSIP integration activities in the Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service area, the MSIP Evaluation will commence shortly. In the meantime, the QAIHC MSIP Team looks forward to providing continued support to the other sites as they progress through their implementation journey.

Gurriny Yealamucka Health Service Aboriginal Corporation resources

Wuchopperen Maternity Services staff