Shared maternity care means that a woman's pregnancy care is shared between the Royal Women’s Hospital and a doctor or local midwife who is affiliated with the hospital.
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Shared maternity care is an option for healthy women with a normal pregnancy. There are 600 shared maternity care GPs, Obstetricians and midwives affiliated with The Royal Women's Hospital.
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Shared maternity care affiliates and hospital-based doctors and midwives act as a team in the provision of each woman's antenatal care. Responsibility is shared for the woman's care including communication and management of results and abnormal findings.
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Occasionally, a woman who normally would be excluded from shared maternity care is best served by this model of care. In these cases, individual care plans are negotiated with the consultant obstetrician of the hospital.
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The Women's supports and assists our shared maternity care affiliates with the provision of a wealth of resources including:
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Pregnancy Record - a patient held record for completion at both community and hospital visits. This is a key means of communication between the hospital and shared maternity care affiliate.
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Shared Care Coordinator - the key person for non-urgent contact for both women and shared maternity care affiliates. Registering women for shared care and sending documentation and results to SMCA.
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Registrar - of the team caring for the woman, or the on-call obstetric registrar can be contacted directly to discuss urgent or complex clinical issues via the hospital's main reception.
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Pregnancy Day Service - shared maternity care affiliates can refer women directly for assessment and management of common pregnancy problems such as possible hyperemesis, hypertension, suboptimal fundal height or decreased fetal movements.
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An obstetrician or registrar will assess all referred women prior to discharge. The affiliate will be notified within 48 hours of the outcome of each visit. It should be noted that this service does not replace referral to the Women's Urgent Care (emergency department) for urgent problems.
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Early Pregnancy Advisory Service - provides coordinated care for women who have pain and/or bleeding in the first 16 weeks of pregnancy. The EPAS offers assesement, diagnostic tests, ultrasound scanning, counselling and management-planning in one coordinated service.
Following an EPAS appointment, most women will have a full diagnosis, and leave with a management plan (for example, a date for surgery, antenatal clinic appointment, access to appropriate support etc). GPs will be sent an attendance letter including investigations performed and management plan.
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