STORC team celebrates a year of helping to bring babies into the world

It’s been a big year for St John WA’s on-call midwife program, with the team celebrating two milestones in May, including their first anniversary.

Since launching on Mother’s Day last year, the State Obstetrics Referral Call (STORC) team has now helped advise frontline crews on 100 obstetrics jobs.

The STORC is a 24-hour helpline made up of a team of midwives with extensive knowledge of St John Clinical Practice Guidelines.

This team is ready to assist all on-road crews by providing evidence-based best-practice obstetric care instructions over the phone.

The STORC team celebrated their first birth last year, with a bouncing baby boy delivered in WA’s Mid West region thanks to over-the-phone help from midwife and paramedic Mel Gardiner, who is the brains behind the referral program.

Since then, the team has helped deliver babies all over Western Australia, including these twins, who made a hasty entrance into the world back in March, and this baby girl, who surprised everybody with her arrival.

Since its inception, Mel has been awarded an Ambulance Service Medal for her expertise and dedication to both paramedicine and midwifery.

Along with Mel, the STORC team includes Jen Cumptsy, Laura Robertson, Lauren Bell, Sara Morris, and Rebecca Hayes.

Between them, the team works a roster that ensures there is always expert help available for St John team members assisting during childbirth.

“STORC isn’t just for pregnancy, but all gynaecology patients, too,” Mel said.

“We learn from every call we take – so just call.”

A dedicated STORC page provides extensive resources for paramedics and volunteers, all in the name of improving outcomes for newborns coming into the world with the help of St John.

The team celebrated their own birthday this week with an appropriately themed cake topped with jelly babies and Cheekies.