Improving outcomes for children
Why are we focused on this group?
The high level of health need for children in the Caboolture Hospital catchment is overlaid with social factors, including some areas of significant socioeconomic disadvantage.
Recognition of these needs has resulted in increased service delivery from public, private and non-government providers, as well as a number of initiatives focused on collaborative action to improve outcomes. The Alliance aims to support and extend existing initiatives, and adds value by focusing more directly on reorienting and supporting health service provision for these children.
The Starting Well Initiative
After further engagement with the sector, it became clear that there was opportunity to co-design a new pathway of care for maternity services to enable a families' midwife, child health nurse and GP to work more closely together. With the Caboolture Hospital maternity service and community child health service, the Health Alliance co-designed a new pathway of antenatal and postnatal care, known at the 'Starting Well Initiative' focussed on four key elements:
- increased continuity of midwifery care with a named midwife
- warm transitions and increased uptake of child health services
- co-location of maternity services and child health services in the community
- increased connections with primary care
The pathway began in February 2020, with significantly positive early outcomes. The Health Alliance is supporting the monitoring and quality improvement of the pathway.