The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RANZCOG) and the New Zealand College of Midwives acknowledge the passing of the Pae Ora (Healthy Futures) (3-Day Postnatal Stay) Amendment Bill, which gives mothers and babies the right to remain in a postnatal facility for a minimum of three days, after giving birth – unless they choose to leave earlier.

RANZCOG and the College of midwives welcome the government’s budget investment in giving women the choice to rest, recover, bond with their pēpi, as well as receive support with feeding and the early days of parenting. Both Colleges engaged closely throughout the progress of this legislation, including via formal submissions and oral testimony to the Health Select Committee, supporting care for women and whānau while raising concerns about workforce capacity, equity of access, and the risk of unintended consequences if the entitlement were introduced without adequate resourcing.

Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora has announced that implementation will be phased over three years, with the full entitlement available nationally to all mothers from 1 July 2029. There is no immediate change to postnatal care arrangements.

We are pleased that Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora has taken heed of our warnings by planning a staged and gradual rollout that builds on existing capacity, with investment in the beds, workforce and service arrangements needed to deliver the entitlement safely.

The planned gradual roll out gives the maternity system the best chance of delivering this entitlement safely and equitably, rather than in a way that risks stretching an already-strained maternity workforce or creating a “postcode lottery” in access.

– Alison Eddy, Chief Executive of the New Zealand College of Midwives

It is vital that women who need more time in hospital for clinical reasons, because either they or their baby have experienced complications, continue to be able to stay in hospital for as long as they need it, based on the clinical judgement of their midwife and/or obstetric team – as they can currently.  Rolling out the new entitlement at a measured pace alongside planning and targeted investment which enables system capacity to catch up to increased need is the only way to achieve this – we’re pleased to see that Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora has recognised this.

– Dr Emma Jackson, RANZCOG Aotearoa New Zealand Vice President

RANZCOG and the College of Midwives strongly encourage the Government to monitor the roll out of the new entitlement and the outcomes of changes to ensure that it is accessible for all communities, and to identify any unintended consequences early.

Our Colleges look forward to future engagement opportunities and will continue to work constructively with Health New Zealand Te Whatu Ora and Government as implementation progresses, to ensure this legislation does not compromise our members’ ability to deliver safe maternity care to all those who need it.

Media enquiries

Alison Eddy
CE
New Zealand College of Midwives
03 3772732