Core Competencies and Educational Framework for Maternity Services in Australia
The National Health Workforce Taskforce (NHWT) and the Maternity Services Inter-Jurisdictional Committee (MSIJC) are co-sponsors in the Core Competencies and Educational Framework for Maternity Services in Australia Project.
Purpose
The project seeks to identify the range of knowledge, skills and attitudes (core competencies) required to deliver evidence- based/best practice maternity care across Australia. This project arose out of concerns regarding the capacity of the maternity workforce to meet service demands, particularly in rural and remote areas and increasingly in metropolitan services.
The Primary Maternity Services Framework and the National Maternity Services Review are informing the project which is designed to determine core competencies and an educational framework required for safe, effective and appropriate maternity services in Australia.
Project Overview
The project is being led by The Centre for Midwifery, Child and Family Health, University of Technology, Sydney with researchers from the University of Technology, Sydney; the University of Sydney, Australian National University, Southern Cross University, Lismore and Charles Darwin University collaborating on the project team.
Part 1
The focus of Part one is the development of core competencies for primary maternity services and the care of pregnant, birthing and postpartum women who are considered to be of normal risk. The identified competencies will be further refined in parallel with the development of the educational framework.
Part 2
The identified core competencies will provide guidance to the development of general educational principles and an educational framework to inform curricula development for primary maternity service providers and maternity services across Australia. Broad stakeholder consultations for this part of the project have commenced.
The draft Educational Framework document for consultation is available at the following link:
http://www.nmh.uts.edu.au/cmcfh/whatwedo/maternity-services.html
There you will find the latest version of the draft Educational Framework document along with the feedback survey to complete. You are encouraged to participate in the consultation process as well as inviting other stakeholders you think might have an interest in this project.
The closing date for feedback on this part of the project is 12th March 2010
The project as a whole is due for completion June 2010
Please direct enquiries to taskforce@nhwt.gov.au
