2024 Australian of the Year for Tasmania | Founder & CEO, Motherland | 2022 Rural Woman of the Year
A big part of me wants to name and shame the regional GP clinic that has let me and my family down numerous times since we moved to Tasmania. Being booked in under 'podiatry' instead of 'psychology' after waiting two months for an appointment was just the icing on the incompetency cake, a reflection of the subpar health care system that continues to fail us. And don't get me started on the lack of support and irresponsible advice I received before, during, and after my miscarriage through our local hospital and another GP. Seriously, if we didn't laugh, we'd cry. The fact is, across Australia, we are leaving mums and dads behind. Access to mental health support in the bush in particular is simply not good enough. Families, children, and industries are suffering as a result. Next week is Perinatal Mental Health Week, and I'm proud that Motherland is one of 46 organisations nationally who have partnered with www.pmhweek.org.au. Motherland is focused on supporting rural and remote mums through services like Motherland Village, Australia's first online rural mother's group program. We are filling a very real gap in our maternal healthcare system, providing social connection and reducing isolation. While our footprint is still relatively small, our impact is already large. Let's face it, we've been talking about improving services and reducing the stigma surrounding mental health for years. But until our healthcare system steps up and adequately values and supports those people whose cries for help continue to fall on deaf ears thanks to inefficient people and processes, things will not change. Fleur Connick Gabrielle Chan Sam Trethewey Simon Talbot Arabella Gibson Alexandra Wythes Alison Kennedy Kate Brow Julia Spicer OAM Jeremy Rockliff https://lnkd.in/g5SxXzxp
Shanna Whan (AM)
2 年
We have a lot of young Mums in our peer group who struggle immensely with all this, and alcohol being used to medicate their mental health. Thanks for what you’re doing Stephanie. Hope it’s a wonderful year for you ??
Everybody needs to think for themselves, not expect anyone to think for you. Mental health is just another bullshit area, created to box people into believing there is something wrong with them. Just more crap from our ever depleting health care system. Stop thinking that someone else is magically going to fix things for you. It never happens. The more you sit around thinking dark thoughts, the more they are going to happen. Nothing more powerful, or damaging, than the mind. Think clearly and concisely, move forward one step at a time. Everyone suffers from some type of anxiety, at some stage in their lives. Its part of life, just dont let it get on top of you.
Pieta Shakes
2 年
We certainly recognise the gaps in support in the prenatal diagnosis space. I was a rural expectant mum who had to travel 3.5hrs to the fetal medicine clinic, and the attempts to find the right support for my mental health were met with many barriers- despite being a mental health nurse. I ended up having to consider options for residential care in the major city, but even then I was excluded based on my daughter's neurological anomaly. I am no longer live in a rural area, but it is still on my mind front and centre when we think of advocacy and support for parents after a prenatal diagnosis. Thank you for the work you are doing. It would be wonderful to connect as Motherhood could bring so key insights to our work.
It’s not just rural….. I had my fourth miscarriage at 16 weeks and was turned away from RPA….in sydney It was Christmas time pre COVID 2017 and they wanted me to wait 7 more days for a simple d and c ???? We NEED dedicated surgery rooms for this and drs who can help and staff who know how to pick up the peices …. They had to then do the procedure twice !!! They monumentally stuffed up You never get over it
Carolyn Vickers
2 年
Hi Stephanie Your service sounds great! If any of your mum’s need some more support, I offer clinical psychology therapy via telehealth (phone or video). I have just opened up another day on my books for this so I have immediate availability. For more details my website is www.carolynvickers.com.au
I'd love to hear how Primary Health Tasmania is supporting placed-based perinatal health initiatives- there's certainly some pockets of good practice examples of this in Victoria
Penny Reiners
2 年
Brilliant post and good on you , I know this is such a huge problem , anyway I csn support lmk x
Founder and Managing Director of Consumer Advocacy at Little Sparklers home of The Beyond Sleep Training Project and Podcast. Winner of Pro Bono Australia’s 2022 Impact25 awards ??
2 年Great story Steph! Are you going to be in Canberra for the launch? If you are, we should catch up. I’m Mount Isa (NW QLD) based and battled through mental health struggles after my first baby and that was the catalyst for forming our org, Little Sparklers, too. Being rural and struggling is next level.