Province promises $8.7M for midwifery care close to home

A woman is examined by a midwife in this Nov. 29, 2005 file photo. (AP / Andrew Shurtleff)

Calling the midwife to all Ontario nurseries.

The Ontario government announced that as of today, midwife services will expand across the province to the tune of $8.7 million.

“Strengthening and adding new midwifery services will ensure expectant families and their newborns have access to care closer to home,” said Sylvia Jones, Deputy Premier and Minister of Health.

The funding includes $4.82 million to expand midwifery services in community health centres, hospitals, family health teams and existing midwifery practices. Another $3.45 million will support future initiatives put forward by healthcare providers to expand midwifery services in their community.

Services are being expanded in every region of the province and will:

• Increase access to low-risk pregnancy and newborn care in both hospital and at home;
• Build better integration between midwifery, newborn care and primary care to improve transition through every stage of care; and
• Connect people to more culturally appropriate health care options – including traditional Indigenous health services – and improve outcomes.

Starting today, healthcare providers can submit proposals to receive funding to expand access to midwifery services in hospitals or through primary health, team-based comprehensive prenatal and postpartum care.

Up to $3.45 million is available, including $1.45 million for the province’s Indigenous Midwifery Program, which includes Indigenous midwives working within primary health care teams to expand Indigenous-led midwifery services in urban, rural, northern and on-reserve Indigenous communities.

Through the Your Health Plan for Connected and Convenient Care, Ontario continues to deliver convenient care where people need it most, right in their communities.