Donna Garland, a midwife and registered nurse who was most recently the general manager of the Royal Hospital for Women in Randwick, has been appointed the state’s first Chief Midwife.  

Donna has been in the NSW public health sector for more than 40 years, working across both rural and metropolitan environments.  

A former Chair of the Australian College of Midwives Council and a Board Director, Donna is also an adjunct professor in the School of Midwifery at the University of Technology Sydney. Before her general manager role at the RHW, Donna was the Operations Director, Women’s and Newborn Health, at Westmead Hospital, where she focused on continuity of care for women. 

 “It is a privilege to be appointed as the inaugural Chief Midwife for NSW,” Donna said.  

“Midwives are central to the provision of maternity services, and they are trusted clinicians, advocates and leaders in healthcare. I look forward to working closely with midwives across the state to strengthen midwifery practice, support workforce development, and ensure women and families receive safe, high-quality, evidence-based care.” 

NSWNMA General Secretary Michael Whaites said the union had long advocated for the crucial leadership position. 

“We look forward to working constructively with Ms Garland in her new leadership position. This role was a key recommendation in the Birth Trauma Inquiry report, so we are thrilled to see it fulfilled,” he said. 

In the newly created role, Donna will also focus on workforce planning, training and retention, and provide expert policy advice to the Minister for Health and the NSW Health Secretary on matters relating to midwifery services.  

NSW Health Minister Ryan Park announced the creation of the new Chief Midwife role at the NSWNMA’s annual conference in August last year. At the time, Mr Park noted that the role was created in response to the NSW Birth Trauma Inquiry, saying “Nearly 90,000 women give birth in NSW each year and I am committed to ensuring that all women in the state receive respectful, evidence-based, and equitable maternity care.” 

Safe Staffing Levels introduced  

Minimum staffing levels of one to every three women are being introduced in postnatal wards at seven NSW hospitals. 

The rollout of Safe Staffing Levels (SSL) will initially be across the Royal Hospital for Women, Campbelltown, Liverpool, Nepean, John Hunter, Royal Prince Alfred and Westmead Hospitals. 

“This is the reform that midwives have been crying out for,” Michael said. 

“This is the reform that will start to address workload issues. Alongside ratios, increased pay and significant investment in midwifery and midwifery-led continuity of care models are critical to improving outcomes and fixing the staffing crisis in maternity.” 

NSWNMA Assistant General Secretary, Katrina Bough, said this phase of the SSL rollout would build on the ratios already introduced in public emergency departments. 

“The NSWNMA has been campaigning for ratios for more than a decade, so we are extremely pleased to see the next stage of this crucial reform taking shape,” she said. 

“We know maternity services, particularly in regional and remote areas, have been under enormous strain in recent years. We hope to see ratios extend to these areas in the future.”