Northern Alberta midwifery services seek more provincial funding

Nov 25, 2017 | 11:00 AM

Maternity care groups are asking the province for further funding to expand midwifery services in northern Alberta.

The Wood Buffalo Woman and Baby Care Association, Birth Matters for Peace Parents and other maternity care consumers from Grande Prairie are asking for more help in the region.

“Midwifery services are definitely in demand in the north, and because they’re publicly funded they really should be more equitably available across the province,” said Natalia Rossiter-Thornton, Grande Prairie Maternity Care Consumer Advocate.

After a summer funding allocation for the service yielded no extra money for the North Zone, the groups began conversations with the Minister of Health and Alberta Health Services for further help.

According to a press release from the associations, there are three midwives in the area, which takes up 60 per cent of Alberta’s land mass. They want an increase to 10 caregivers.

“The ladies based in Peace River have actually been working with AHS and having many discussions with them over the last four years,” said Rossiter-Thornton.

Rossiter-Thornton says she understands funding is scarce for the services relative to demand, but they groups want to focus on “recruitment, retention, integration and cost of living,” said the release.

Rossiter-Thornton wants to give people the best services possible.

“We are in the actual communities, so we can provide a little insight and be a point of contact.”

by Jordan Parker