The director of the University Centre for Rural Health (UCRH), Professor Lesley Barclay AO, has been recognised by the federal government for leading one of Australia’s top-ten research projects over the past year.
The Ten of the Best Research Projects 2014 were selected for their innovativeness and potential to make a difference to the lives of Australians and people worldwide. Announcing the names of those making the exclusive list, Health Minister Sussan Ley said, “These research stories give us a glimpse into the next generation of treatments and medical devices that will make a difference to people’s lives.”
Professor Barclay’s team conducted extensive research on birthing practices in rural and remote communities in the Northern Territory’s Top End. This led to the rollout of a model of care that is delivering significant benefits for Aboriginal mothers and their babies and was supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC).
The research was carried out in two large remote communities in the Territory’s Top End, and their regional centre. It included lengthy observations, dozens of interviews and the study of hundreds of mother infant records. The results led to a range of improvements, the most significant being the Midwifery Group Practice (MGP) model, which provides a continuity of care where one known midwife provides pregnancy, birth and post birth services.
The research team found that the MGP helped improve clinical effectiveness and quality of care for women, with a saving of around $700 per mother-infant cohort. While the care provided to infants living in those communities is still not satisfactory – for example, attempts to provide skilled nurses for infants failed – the partnership between researchers and health systems leaders has made a huge difference.
Professor Barclay and her team are now working to develop the Australian Regional Birthing Index, a version of a calculation designed by Canadian researchers. This tool estimates the level of maternity service required for a given regional population based on its characteristics and isolation. This research is also funded by NHMRC.
