Women and midwives central to MBC philosophy
04/03/2025
The Midwifery Birth Centre (MBC) which opened at Bentley Hospital in December 2024 is WA’s first stand-alone birth centre, developed with both women and midwives in mind.
It was one of five projects featured at the EMHS Excellence Symposium last week .
Midwifery Manager Carli Beange said the midwives are publicly employed, endorsed and credentialled, meaning they can use their prescriptive authority and admit women under their own name and care for that woman from early pregnancy until six weeks after the baby is born.
This streamlines care for women and allows our endorsed midwives to use their full scope of practice, she said.
The MBC cares for women experiencing low-risk pregnancies. Women labour in a home-like environment with access to water birth and other active labour devices. Depending on their risk profile, some may be transferred to another maternity health service, taking their midwife with them.
Endorsed Clinical Midwife Elizabeth Hull said it was satisfying and very exciting to use all of her skillset to form a rapport with a woman and provide the safest care possible.
The MBC was built on the philosophy of "Midwifery-centred management" where a work environment and model of care is built to maximise the potential and unleash the full scope of its workforce – resulting in the best outcomes for women and babies in a cost-neutral, sustainable environment.
EMHS has raised the profession of Endorsed Midwifery in the eyes of the nation by providing a professional, enhanced practice pathway for midwives.
The EMs are working to their full scope in a public model as credentialed, admitting practitioners. Other health service providers (HSPs) are looking to follow suit.
Carli said the workforce was placed first and foremost into the model of care development.
“It is our hope through continuous improvement, positive workplace culture and teamwork that we will continue to represent the exceptional nature of our service and the EMHS values,” she said.
Last Updated:
14/03/2025