title: Birthing on Country (in Our Community): a case study of engaging stakeholders and developing a best-practice Indigenous maternity service in an urban setting.
abstract: Developing high-quality and culturally responsive maternal and infant health services is a critical part of 'closing the gap' in health disparities between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians. The National Maternity Services Plan led work that describes and recommends Birthing on Country best-practice maternity care adaptable from urban to very remote settings, yet few examples exist in Australia. This paper demonstrates Birthing on Country principles can be applied in the urban setting, presenting our experience establishing and developing a Birthing on Country partnership service model in Brisbane, Australia. An initial World Café workshop effectively engaged stakeholders, consumers and community members in service planning, resulting in a multiagency partnership program between a large inner city hospital and two local Aboriginal Community-Controlled Health Services (ACCHS). The Birthing in Our Community program includes: 24/7 midwifery care in pregnancy to six weeks postnatal by a named midwife, supported by Indigenous health workers and a team coordinator; partnership with the ACCHS; oversight from a steering committee, including Indigenous governance; clinical and cultural supervision; monthly cultural education days; and support for Indigenous student midwives through cadetships and placement within the partnership. Three years in, the partnership program is proving successful with clients, as well as showing early signs of improved maternal and infant health outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Mater Medical Research Institute, Midwifery Research Unit, Level 2 Aubigny Place, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Qld 4101, Australia.
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kildea
authors.affiliation: Mater Medical Research Institute, Midwifery Research Unit, Level 2 Aubigny Place, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Qld 4101, Australia.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hickey
authors.affiliation: Institute for Urban Indigenous Health, 23 Edgar Street, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006, Australia.
authors.forename: Carmel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Health Service Brisbane Limited, 55 Annerley Road, Woolloongabba, Qld 4102, Australia.
authors.forename: Jody
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Currie
authors.affiliation: Institute for Urban Indigenous Health, 23 Edgar Street, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006, Australia.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carson
authors.affiliation: Mater Misericordiae Health Services Brisbane Ltd, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Qld 4101, Australia.
authors.forename: Maree
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reynolds
authors.affiliation: Mater Misericordiae Health Services Brisbane Ltd, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Qld 4101, Australia.
authors.forename: Kay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland, School of Nursing and Midwifery, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.
authors.forename: Sue
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kruske
authors.affiliation: The University of Sydney, University Centre for Rural Health North Coast, 61 Uralba Street, Lismore, NSW 2480, Australia.
authors.forename: Megan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Passey
authors.affiliation: Institute for Urban Indigenous Health, 23 Edgar Street, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006, Australia.
authors.forename: Yvette
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Roe
authors.affiliation: Griffith University School of Medicine, First Peoples Health Unit, Gold Coast, Qld 4222, Australia.
authors.forename: Roianne
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: West
authors.affiliation: University of Queensland, Queensland Alcohol and Drug Research Centre, Herston Road, Herston, Qld 4006, Australia.
authors.forename: Anton
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Clifford
authors.affiliation: Australian Catholic University, School of Nursing Midwifery and Paramedicine, 1100 Nudgee Road, Banyo, Qld 4014, Australia.
authors.forename: Machellee
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kosiak
authors.affiliation: Mater Misericordiae Health Services Brisbane Ltd, Raymond Terrace, South Brisbane, Qld 4101, Australia.
authors.forename: Shannon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watego
authors.affiliation: University of Sydney, 88 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia.
authors.forename: Sally
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tracy
mesh_terms: D054521:Cultural Competency; D005260:Female; D006297:Health Services Accessibility / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous / Q000458:organization & administration*; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007373:Interinstitutional Relations; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008427:Maternal Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D008880:Midwifery; D011247:Pregnancy; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011793:Queensland; D000073597:Stakeholder Participation; D014505:Urban Population; D000095283:Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples