STORC nominated for Maternity Service of the Year

St John WA’s State Obstetric Referral Call service (STORC) has been nominated for Maternity Service of the Year through the Australian College of Midwives (ACM), the peak professional body for midwives in Australia. 

The ACM Midwifery Awards are an annual showcase of exemplary midwives and services across Australia.

This year, honours will be given to Midwife of the Year, Student Midwife of the Year, Graduate Midwife of the Year and Maternity Service of the Year.

STORC founder Mel Gardiner is a paramedic and midwife who is dedicated to revolutionising pre-hospital maternity care.

She saw a way to improve mother and infant outcomes in Unplanned Out Of Hospital (UOOH) births, so she worked with SJWA to create STORC.

Now, she’s excited to see her work nominated for the ACM Awards.

“Midwives are crucial in maternity care,” Mel said.

“Their commitment to empowering women through pregnancy, supporting family’s during birth, and nurturing new mothers has long-lasting impact.

“To be recognised amongst these services is an honour.”

The STORC team consists of six experienced midwives who are available to take calls 24 hours a day.

The midwives are familiar with SJWA’s clinical practice guidelines and are prepared to assist with the unique challenges presented with out of hospital births.

STORC launched in May 2023. In just over a year, STORC’s midwives have responded to 125 calls and helped to deliver 25 babies. 

The program’s success has not gone unnoticed; STORC was a finalist for Excellence in Patient Care by the Council of Ambulance Authorities (CAA) in 2024, and it was recognised by the Western Australian Country Health Service (WACHS) for its contribution to improving outcomes for regional women.

The accolades are nice, but Mel knows that what makes STORC great is the group of midwives behind it.

“I am incredibly proud of my STORC Team,” she said.

“Sharing this year with five intelligent and empowering midwives to provide woman-centred care and support SJWA on-road staff has been a dream come true.”

Winners of the ACM Midwifery Awards will be announced on September 11 at a gala dinner and awards presentation.