Our 2011 election manifesto - Labour Party

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.
Breastfeeding Support
Labour introduced the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative and Baby Friendly Community
Initiative (BFHI and BFCI) in the last term in government. Currently 92% of birthing facilities
have achieved accreditation and this initiative needs even more support to help mothers on
discharge home and in the community.
The National Breastfeeding Committee was dis-established by the current government in
2009. NZ is not currently compliant with the Innocenti Declaration promoted by the World
Health Organisation or UNCROC commitments.
Labour will re-establish the National Breastfeeding Advisory Committee. This
committee will provide leadership on implementation of the Breastfeeding Strategic
Plan launched by Labour in 2008. This committee would review the most appropriate
funding mechanism to enable Lactation Consultants to provide both facility and
community based lactation support and education services in the community.
Well Child Handover
Under Labour‟s Health Policy all children will be enrolled with a Well Child provider before
birth. The Midwife or Lead Maternity Carer is contracted to provide visits in the first six
weeks postpartum. Flexibility around transfer will ensure that no gaps in service provision
occur, therefore minimising the risk of family violence, child abuse and neglect.
Labour will enable flexibility around the commencement of a needs based Well Child
programme in the first six weeks of life. This must only occur at the agreement of the
478