ECU Midwifery Student-led Clinic Project Lead Kieran Kenny, Emmily Hadden with baby Lillian, and Midwifery student Breony Watts.
Pregnant women in the South West are set to benefit from a new maternity care service in Bunbury.
Launched by Edith Cowan University (ECU), the Midwifery Student-led Clinic will provide accessible, bulk-billed pregnancy and postnatal appointments for up to 120 women annually.
Antenatal and postnatal care will be provided by ECU student midwives with direct supervision provided by ECU Academic Endorsed Midwives.
Professor Karen Strickland, Executive Dean of ECU's School of Nursing and Midwifery, said the program would address maternity care gaps in the South West region, while strengthening midwifery education and workforce preparedness.
"Regional areas in Western Australia face midwifery workforce shortages, with maternity care access in the South West further reduced since the closure of the private maternity service in the region in 2023," Professor Strickland said. "As a result, this has forced an increased reliance on public outpatient clinics.
"Meanwhile, students have reported challenges in traditional clinical placements accessing continuity-of-care experiences, where they are required to follow a minimum of 10 pregnant women through their entire childbearing journey as part of their education and training.
"The ECU Midwifery Student-led Clinic addresses both issues by embedding students in a community-based, continuity-of-care model under the supervision of highly experienced midwives."
Kieran Kenny, ECU Midwifery Lecturer and Project Lead of the Midwifery Student-led Clinic, said exposure to continuity-of-care services would have a range of benefits for students, including gaining clinical confidence and job-readiness.
"The ECU Midwifery Student-led Clinic has been co-designed with students, with a focus on improving the student experience and readiness for practice," Ms Kenny said.
"The project is expected to help increase enrolled and completing student midwife numbers in the South West, which in turn will support industry with decreasing future midwifery workforce shortages."
The clinic will be based at the Milligan Community Centre to allow for greater community engagement at an easily accessible setting, which includes access to community support services and free parking.
The clinic will run two days per week with the service offering extended appointments at a minimum of 60 minutes long.
"This will allow plenty of time for women and families to ask questions and students to share information," Ms Kenny said
Women can be referred through their local health care provider or are welcome to self-refer.
The ECU Midwifery Student-led Clinic will be the third university-based clinic across Australia and first for regional Australia, and strongly aligns with national midwifery workforce priorities.
Visit the ECU Midwifery Student-led Clinic website for more information and booking enquiries.
