PURPOSE:
Midwifery-led models of care in rural and remote Australia offer safe, effective alternatives to increasingly unsustainable doctor-led maternity services.

DISCUSSION:
This presentation draws from the work of the QNMU Rural and Remote Midwifery Group Practice Workgroup, which identified systemic workforce challenges—ranging from excessive caseloads, travel burden, and lack of administrative support, to critical gaps in leadership and recognition of complexity. We explore viable solutions, including tailored caseload caps, midwifery-specific leadership structures, embedded relief staffing, and revised industrial agreements reflective of rural and remote classifications.

EVIDENCE WHERE RELEVANT:
NA

KEY MESSAGE:
The findings offer a framework for stabilising and scaling midwifery-led care, ensuring women in rural and remote communities receive safe, culturally responsive, and equitable maternity services. Poster session 2 (Group A)