Antenatal Shared Care Programs
Project Officer: Karen Wheeler
Phone: 8752 4906
Main: 9799 0933
For ANSC program enquiries : RPA Women and Babies and Canterbury Hospital
GP Liaison Midwife: Clare Jordan
Working Hours:Mon-Thurs: 7.30-5.30pm
Phone: 0425 230 662
RPA: 9515 7416
Canterbury Hospital ( Thursdays): 97870283
For urgent clinical enquiries, page O&G Registrar at RPA or Canterbury Hospital.
Quick link reference list
Orientation to ANSC Program
Hospital Referral Postcodes
Hospital Booking Process
Hospital Clinics and Services
Preconception Planning
ANSC Protocol
Group B Streptococcus
Prenatal Screening
Pregnancy Assessment
Risk Management
Postpartum Assessment and Management
Referral Forms
Patient Information
Online education
Translated Information
Useful Website Links
ANSC Resources
For resources including ANSC GP Resource Manual v6 (2011), antenatal “yellow"record cards, RPA ultrasound forms and relevant ANSC brochures, please contact Karen Wheeler on 9799 0933
Antenatal Shared Care Program overview
ANSC is an option of care provided collaboratively by the GP and the hospital-based maternity services. It is offered to all pregnant women assessed as low risk and suitable for GP shared care planning to deliver at a Sydney Local Health District (SLHD).
maternity facility. The program aims to:
- provide pregnant women with flexibility, choice and continuity of care
- cater for the preferences and needs of women from culturally and diverse backgrounds
- enhance the skills of GPs caring for women during pregnancy
- promote communication between GPs and the participating hospitals
The ANSC program is a joint initiative of:
The program is offered at other maternity facilites across Sydney. For further information regarding these programs, contact the local maternity hospital or Medicare Local in your particular area.
Orientation to the Antenatal Shared Care Program
GPs wishes to join the ANSC Program are required to complete the SLHD ANSC Registration Application Form (2012) and attend an Orientation Session facilitated by the GP Liaison Midwife.
In order to maintain Recognition as an ANSC GP provider there is an ongoing education requirement for each RACGP triennium. For each triennium, participating GPs will be required to attend at least three (or achieve 12 Category 2 points) Antenatal/Postnatal specific Continuing Professional Development events with attendance at a clinical activity being strongly recommended. To clarify your point status, please contact Karen Wheeler
Further information is outlined in the ANSC Program Overview
Hospital Referral Postcodes
There is a restricted access by residential postcode for women with low risk pregnancy to book for delivery at RPA Women and Babies and Canterbury Hospitals. The postcode access areas for each facility are listed below:
Women requiring complex or specialised care who live outside the suburbs covered by RPA Antenatal Clinic may be referred to RPA by their doctor. A letter of request is to be sent to the Director of O&G c/o Executive Unit RPA Women and Babies.
RPA Women and Babies Booking Process
RPA First Antenatal Clinic Visit
A woman is required to book either on-line or by fax ( 9515 3454) after completing the First Antenatal Visit Booking Form accessed via the
RPA Women and Babies website (under the tab “Information for Pregnant Women”)
Access to Medical Director and Best Practice templates of the RPA Women and Babies First Antenatal Visit Booking Form
Antenatal Clinic Booking Follow up
Hospital staff will contact the woman via mail ( ~2 weeks) with a letter outlining further information and an appointment date.
Delivery Booking Process
All women need to book their bed for delivery after 20 weeks gestation (usually soon after the obstetric review visit). The woman will need to take her yellow card and registration form to the RPA Medical Centre Suite 210, Level 2, cnr Carillon Ave and Missenden Rd.
The Booking Office is open from 7.30am till 5.00pm Monday - Friday
Canterbury Hospital Maternity Booking Process
For appointment bookings contact the Antenatal Clinic ph 9787 0250 ( Mon-Fri 9.00am - 4.30pm)
Antenatal Shared Care Protocol
( for other languages see ” Translated Information” )
Hospital Clinics and Services
RPA Women and Babies
It is important that if you see a woman in the first trimester who you may consider a risk of complication of pregnancy that they are referred for early review in pregnancy and do not have to wait until their booking visit. This is officially called a ” consultation in pregnancy” and these consultations are seen in the various high risk pregnancy clinics at RPAH. Please contact Clare Jordan 0425 230 662 or O & G Registar for referral process.
Fetal Medicine Department RPA Women and Babies
NB: RPA Women and Babies DOES NOT offer routine dating scans .External providers are required for this service.
The Fetal Medicine Department has introduced a paging system to assist GPs in contacting the Fetal Medicine Department for urgent matters.
Contact RPA Hospital on ph 9515 6111 Pager # 81668
The paging system is to be used to access urgent ultrasound bookings, urgent ultrasound reports, second opinions or if advice is required from a Fetal Medicine Specialist. The service will operate between Monday and Friday from 7.00am-3.30pm. If the pager is not answered please contact the Department on 9515 6042.
Gynaecology Referral RPA Women and Babies
The RPA Women and Babies Gynaecology Referral Form is required for referral to all Specialist Women’s Clinics. Appointment requests are by fax only ( 9515 3454). It is mandatory that a telephone contact is available so the woman can be contacted for an appointment time and date. The staff will make two(2) attempts only to contact the woman and she can be expected to be contacted within three (3) business days of the hospital receiving the completed information.
Canterbury Hospital
Preconception Planning
Prenatal Screening
The Fetal Medicine Unit at RPA Women and Babies routinely offers Combine First Trimester Screening (cFTS) :Ultrasound scan ( nuchal translucency and nasal bone) plus biochemistry to all pregnant women booking for delivery at RPA and Canterbury Hospitals. Shared care GPs can now refer women directly to the Fetal Medicine Unit ( ph 9515 6042) for the following tests :
- Combined First Trimester Screening (cFTS)
- Chrorionic Villus Sampling (CVS)
- Aminocentesis
If you prefer to make a referral for pre-test counselling, this can be made directly to the fortnightly GP AMA Clinic via the RPA Antenatal Clinic (ph 9515 7101)
Women should be advised to access the Combined First Trimester Screening Patient Brochure (May 2012)developed by the RPA Fetal Medicine Unit. Limited hard copies are available through IWSML.
Prenatal Screening Resources available at IWSML include :
Additional information on a range of genetic matters can be accessed from the NSW Health Centre for Genetics Education and the National Health and Medical Research Council - NHMRC.
Translated material regarding genetics, prenatal testing and pregnancy can be located at the NSW Health: Multicultural Health Communication Service
Pregnancy Assessment
Early Pregnancy Assessment Service
The Gynecology Registrar ( RPAH Switch: 9515 6111) on call should be contacted for all pregnant patients less than 20 weeks who need urgent review or for a woman being sent to the Emergency Department.
It is important that referrals to the EPAS clinic are appropriate and that all blood results and ultrasound reports accompany those women attending.The Emergency Department DOES NOT perform Ultrasound Scans (USS). USS for early pregnancy problems are only available through EPAS at 7.30am: Mon-Fri ( unless medically unstable and indicated). The clinic can become very busy and inappropriate referrals and/or incomplete information causes delays for both the woman and hospital staff.
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) Information
To ensure that GBS results are available at the following hospital visit, please note Pathology Provider to cc results to RPA ANC
Nausea & Vomiting in Pregnancy
Monitoring Fetal Movements
Perinatal Mental Health
Flowcharts and Referrals : Thalassaemia, Anaemia, Thyroid
Lactation
Risk Management
Varicella ( Chicken Pox)
Hepatitis
Postpartum Assessment and Management
Breastfeeding
Gestational Diabetes Postnatal Follow-up
Perinatal Mental Health
Immunisation
Visit IWSML Immunisation page for further information and news regarding Childhood Immunisation.
NSW Health Immunisation Schedule
Referral Forms
Best Practice and Medical Director Forms
Patient Information
EMERGENCY medical help during your pregnancy:
- If you are greater than 20 weeks pregnant : RPA Labour Ward 9515 8420; Canterbury Hospital 9787 0000 ask for Birthing Unit
- If you are less than 20 weeks pregnant :
- Non- urgent: Your GP for follow-up
- Urgent : RPA Emergency : 9515 6111 or Canterbury Hospital Emergency Dept 9787 0000
Influenza vaccination in pregnancy
Parent Education Classes
RPA Women and Babies/ Canterbury Hospital
Early Pregnancy Assessment Service
Gestational Diabetes
Postnatal Contacts
Online Education Options
Translated Information
Translated material regarding pregnancy related issues can be located at NSW Health: Multicultural Health Communication Sevice. Information available include Maternity Care Options, Planning a Pregnancy, Caring for a Baby at Home and Depression during Pregnancy and Early Parenthood.
Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) ANSC Protocol
Preparation for GTT (various languages)
Vitamin D information for pregnant women and new mothers
Useful Website Links
