In light of the successful flattening of the curve in Australia and New Zealand, RANZCOG has now updated advice regarding routine antenatal care and birth. 

  • Antenatal visits may now be undertaken face-to-face and at usual intervals.
  • Antenatal face-to-face classes can now resume within the limitations of social Distancing requirements. Please check on-going arrangements with each public hospital.
  • Accompanying partner at routine visits, hospital visitors and number of support persons in labour as per local protocols, allowing for social distancing measures.
  • Routine screening for gestational diabetes (GDM), (RANZCOG Guidelines)

RANZCOG recognises that individual institutions and other jurisdictions will have their own protocols in place, and these should be adhered to.

There remains a risk of a second wave of infection and all social distancing and hygiene precautions should remain in place. 

Face-to-Face CPD Activities

We are excited to announce that we will be transitioning back to face-to-face CPD activities where possible at the end of June 2020.

As we at GP Partners Australia make this move we will be ensuring that we comply with the Government guidelines related to physical distancing and COVID-19 safety.

South Australian GP Obstetric Shared Care Protocols Clinical Directive – April 2020

These protocols have been developed in accordance with contemporary professional standards of care and outline the minimum standards of clinical practice required by General Practitioners providing maternity services in South Australia.

Please note that we have, as well as some of our GPs, unfortunately identified some errors and omissions, notably page 9. The Anaemia in Pregnancy PPG does include a copy of the Family of Origin Questionnaire, but obviously this is not printable. If you go to the SA Pathology website you will be unable to locate the form to print. Unfortunately, it seems that it was never uploaded, however it is available for ordering from SA Pathology in the same way that other forms are.

The form number is PUB-0588 and it is titled ‘Antenatal Thalassaemia/haemoglobinopathy Screening Programme”.

When rectified we will forward the updated document to you.

Booking the GP Obstetric Shared Care woman at the Booking Hospital

GPs should ensure the GP OSC SA woman is referred to a ‘booking’ hospital as soon as possible to ensure her first antenatal visit is scheduled before 20 weeks gestation and preferably in the first trimester.

GP Obstetric Shared Care Virtual Online Conference

Our virtual online workshop was held on Thursday 21st May 2020

Presentations can now be accessed here.

We anticipate that the recording of the workshop will be available via the GP Partners website in the coming week.

Don’t forget to visit our GPEx website for further updates and resources www.gpex.com.au.

We trust this – and future updates – will be of help to you during these unsettling times.

Stay safe.

If you have any questions or require additional information please do not hesitate to contact the GP Obstetric Shared Care Program Manager – Leanne at Leanne.March@gpex.com.au