8. Question No. 8—HealthMARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader—Green) to the Associate Minister of HealthQuestion No. 8—Health8. MARAMA DAVIDSON (Co-Leader—Green) to the Associate Minister of Health: What recent announcements has she made about primary maternity services?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER (Associate Minister of Health): Last week I announced the largest ever increase in funding for primary maternity services and the women and babies they support—$242 million. That includes $85 million for additional modules indicating a broader range of services under the section 88 notice; $60 million to support community maternity initiatives; $35 million for the maternity action plan; $57 million for cost and volume pressures which includes a 2.18 percent increase to fees paid to lead maternity carers—[Interruption]SPEAKER: Order! Order! Can I just ask the members down there to be bit quieter. You're coming across through the two mikes which are open down there and it means that people up this end are having trouble hearing it.Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: —$5.4 million for a $2500 payment to eligible lead maternity carer (LMC) midwives to cover extra COVID-19 - related costs. I am proud that independent community midwives under this Government will receive better support for the vital role they play in supporting 60000 newborns and their parents every year.Marama Davidson: What specific support will this new funding provide for midwives caring for rural and high-needs women and babies?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: Previously all midwives were paid a standard rate even though midwives supporting women in rural locations and women with complex pregnancies had extra time and cost associated with caring for these women. The new funding will mean that midwives who travel long distances to care for women or who provide extra attention throughout a complex pregnancy labour and birth will finally be able to be compensated for this additional cost and work.Marama Davidson: How will this extra support better meet the needs of wāhine Māori their pēpē and their whānau?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: As part of the $35 million maternity action plan there will be a specific focus on kaupapa Māori approach to maternity care and this action plan will help reduce avoidable inequities of service by targeting funding and delivering more culturally responsive maternity services. This will be part of the ongoing work undertaken by the Ministry of Health to improve maternity services and working conditions for midwives.Marama Davidson: How has the Government supported midwives affected by the challenges created by COVID-19?Hon JULIE ANNE GENTER: We all know that during alert levels 4 and 3 many LMC midwives experienced a much higher workload and incurred additional costs due to the need to socially distance. This included taking additional visits to care for expecting mums and newborns during this stressful time. As a result last month the Government announced that all eligible LMC midwives would receive a one-off $2500 payment to help cover those additional extra costs incurred during COVID-19. All midwives work extremely hard to care for the women and their babies nationwide and I'm very proud that they are receiving the support that they deserve.