Our 2011 election manifesto - Labour Party

Labour will create a seamless transition from maternity services to health care
services for infants and young children.
Labour will strengthen the Health in Schools Programme, including social workers,
starting with low decile schools, with the aim of expanding the programme to higher
decile schools as resources allow.
Maternity policy
Labour believes that there is a compelling case to ensure that New Zealand is the best place
in the world to raise our children. It is important that all women and babies have equal
opportunity to have optimal maternity outcomes. 63,000 live births were registered in the
year ending December, 2010.
A high quality Maternity Service is necessary to ensure a positive influence on the health
status and social wellbeing of the mother, baby and the community. New Zealand is 6 th of
the top ten countries in the world to be a mother a Save the Children study found in May,
2010 (12 th Annual State of the World‟s Mothers report).
It is understood that implementation of the Maternity Action Plan over the last two years has
focussed on workforce development, quality assurance and maternity new-born information
system development. We support those initiatives as they were identified as being a high
priority in 2008.
Labour will review the implementation of the 8 principles and 11 goals of the
Maternity Action Plan developed by Labour in 2008.
Labour will continue further alignment of Maternity Service provision with primary
health services and Primary Health Organisations.
Labour will give consideration to service access issues for rural women, young
parents and women with mental health disorders.
Primary Family Centres
Increasingly, women are transferred home on average within two days of delivery or take
early discharge from birthing facilities with Lead Maternity Carer support. The percentage of
women having home births has not increased. Services need to be accessible, coordinated
and integrated into the family care services support environment. In some areas Family
Health Units should be available when women need respite care or Lactation Consultant
intervention to maintain breastfeeding.
Labour will ensure community based facilities are developed by the District Health
Boards in conjunction with Midwives, GPs, Plunket, La Leche League and Social
Workers.
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