Pregnant or planning-to-become pregnant patients can be seen by Dr Gail Lyneham, our approved "Shared Care GP". A Shared Care GP is a general practitioner with additional training in obstetrics and who is appointed by the hospital to provide complete pregnancy care to public patients who are not going through a private obstetrician.
You will be seen by Dr Lyneham every month for the first six months, fortnightly for the next two months and then every week for the last month. Dr Lyneham will arrange all necessary blood tests, ultrasounds, hospital visits etc during this time.
You will be referred to the relevant hospital where you will have about four visits during the nine months and where delivery will take place, usually by a midwife, plus care for the baby and mother whilst in hospital. This way, both the hospital and Dr Lyneham are kept fully informed of your progress i.e. they "share" the care of you.
The benefits of this include Dr Lyneham being available at short notice, convenient location to where you live or work with appointments available during lunch time or after work, follow-up care of both you and your new baby when you get home (including vaccinations) and most of all, provide continuity of care which encourages a trusting relationship to develop.
Through the Shared Care GP pathway, costs are kept to a minimum; most mothers only pay between $200 and $270 for all antenatal care, medical tests, delivery and hospital stay.
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