glasgowmidwife

Hi everyone,

I'm a midwife moving from UK to Melbourne and I can't decide weather to work in a public or private maternity hospital. Can anybody help and give me advice.

Thanks, Louise

itigo

I'm sure midwives will be along to answer.

From what I understand both are more Obstetrician led here but I think public is moving more towards midwife led. But please wait for more learned advice, I could be talking from my rear end!

PunkDebutante

One of my co-workers wives is a midwife and she said she has worked for both and they are pretty much the same to work for and both very enjoyable.

Jilliebee

I've only worked in the public system over here, but I've heard that at the private hospital here in the NT the midwives are more like obstetric nurses and the women expect the doctor to deliver the baby cost thats what they pay for.

I do know that not all private hospitals are like this though.

Hopefully someone with knowledge of both can give you more info x

glasgowmidwife

Hi, thanks for your replies. What are the staffing levels like for maternity in Melbourne? I work in a hospital which in my opinion is under staffed. For example, the postnatal ward is only staffed with 3 midwives on a 29 bedded ward. Is this the same with both private and public maternity in Melbourne?

Margaret3

public

manwinoname

My OH is a midwife and has been working in Melbourne for over 4 years now, having previously worked at Crosshouse Maternity. On nights the average ratio is 1:6 and 1:4 on days for postnatal. She would obviously like to win the lotto and not work again, but this is the next best thing until those numbers come up :-)
PS. It is a public hospital she works in and a few expats are based there too

glasgowmidwife

Hi manwinoname, thank-you for your reply. My goodness, 1:6-1:4 that's crazy as where I work its normally 1:10-12 all the time on postnatal wards with frequently missing breaks as its too busy and its a 12 hour shift. Do you mind me asking where your OH works? Any advice of where I should not work. In Glasgow theres not many choices to work but in Melbourne there's so many its hard to chose. Does your OH know of anywhere accepting cv's. Any advice would be amazing, its quite overwhelming to be honest.