PREGNANCY care services will return to Castlemaine Health this month, with birthing services to follow from May.
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It comes following sustained community support for the resumption of maternity services, which were suspended in May last year.
Referrals for pregnancy care at Castlemaine Health open on March 22.
Birthing services open from May 3.
"We look forward to resuming the important role of caring for local women, babies and families throughout pregnancy, birth and early parenting," Castlemaine Health chief executive Sue Race said.
It follows a service review, which led to a new model of care and a newly appointed midwifery group practice team. The team includes a new midwifery clinical coordinator.
Ms Race acknowledged the work of the service review team and support from Bendigo Health, Safer Care Victoria, the Department of Health and the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Foundation's Victorian branch when making the announcement.
"Their commitment to offering locally-based maternity services for regional women and families has matched our own," she said.
"What we have come together to create will benefit our community well into the future."
Support Birthing at Castlemaine Health - a group of Mount Alexander residents and Castlemaine Health maternity service supporters - welcomed the announcement, made at a celebratory event.
"We are so proud this community has fought to retain this precious, vital community resource that all regional women deserve," spokesperson Arabella Davison said.
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"It is a demonstration of the shared commitment of the Castlemaine and Bendigo hospitals, midwives, GPs, and importantly, this passionate community, to provide women and their families with access to quality, caring, local birthing services."
Ms Davison also acknowledged the immense strength women and families had to find since Castlemaine Health's maternity services were suspended.
"We hope the essence of what made Castlemaine Health such a special place to birth will be retained," she said.
The group thanked the midwives and doctors who had provided the community with birthing services for years.
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