Maternal Fetal Specialists network to help mothers and babies

"We are a small population spread across a large distance and we need to use our few resources wisely" says Health Minister Tony Ryall.

The Health Minister has announced $115,000 start up funding and an ongoing $402,000 per year for a new national Maternal Fetal Medicine Network. The Network will build on the working relationships of national fetal medicine specialists around the country and will ultimately benefit New Zealand mothers and their babies.

"We have literally half a handful of specialist obstetricians serving the high end, highly intensive needs of a small group of New Zealand mothers. We do not have the resources to have teams of specialists of this calibre in every DHB so the more we can enable our few specialists to work with clinical associates and midwives to help all New Zealanders, the better" says the Health Minister.

The Maternal Fetal Medicine Network is led by Clinical Director Dr Emma Parry of the National Women's Health Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The Network will make it easier for doctors and specialists around the country to keep in contact with each other and manage patient needs.

This will enable doctors to access clinical protocols for rare conditions, contact specialists for advice, and if they do have a problem, refer, to enable the appropriate tests and treatment to be carried out.

The service will also provide an education programme for existing and prospective specialists, midwives and clinical associates. In the future, a new website will also provide a central contact point for health professionals and information for women and their families.

The National Government is completely supportive of the country's clinicians and specialists getting together in networks like this to optimise and maximise the value of the good work they do around the country.