Summary
A new Midwife Navigator is working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families on the Central Highlands, supporting the delivery of culturally safe care.
Midwife Kady Colman is a proud Wiradjuri woman and a proud Aboriginal midwife, recently moving from Brisbane to Emerald to take up this new, identified position.
She had a strong desire to leave the busy Logan Hospital and find work in a rural and remote area. She’s delighted to have found that in Emerald.
“It’s an amazing, small and passionate maternity team,” Kady said. “It’s been really nice working in a small community and getting to know the other small communities in the area.”
The Central Highlands Midwife Navigator program provides dedicated support to expectant mothers, managing and coordinating their care. This includes collaboration between the mother, her primary caregiver, specialists, and health professionals before, during, and for up to six weeks post-birth.
Kady helps vulnerable pregnant women within the Central Highlands who may struggle to engage fully with the healthcare system or who are medically high-risk and require additional tertiary support away from their homes and families.
She coordinates appointments and escalates care when necessary, leading to improved perinatal outcomes for women, their babies, and families.
Midwife Navigators provide person-centred care, establish partnerships, enhance care coordination and outcomes, and foster system improvements, independent of hospital or community models.
They navigate all aspects of hospital and social services, facilitating communication, negotiation, and connection of care as needed.
“The pregnancy journey can be like a jigsaw puzzle, and women can often feel as if there are pieces of the puzzle missing,” Kady said.
“Our aim is to create a better journey with better outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island children and families by providing the delivery of culturally safe care and navigation through the healthcare system during the antenatal journey, labour and birth, and postnatal care for up to six weeks.”