The Wire

Over 100 rural healthcare stakeholders from across Australia attended a major syposium in Alice Springs today to help develop a national framework to maintain and improve access to obstetric care in rural communities. The conference is being held against the background of ongoing closures of rural maternity units and declining numbers of medical services, particularly obstetricians and midwives needed to support birthing in the bush. Annie Hastwell spoke to Rural Doctors Association President Sue Page and Nicole Piper from the New South Wales town of Wee Waa