Recruitment for Graduate Diploma of Midwifery in WSLHD for 2025 is now complete.
Our next recruitment process will commence in May 2025 for the 2026 Graduate Diploma of Midwifery cohort.
What is a Midwife?
A Midwife is a qualified professional, trained and committed to providing care, education, advice and support to women and their families during pregnancy, labour and birth, and the early postnatal period. (Australian College of Midwives)
Midwifery in WSLHD
Due to the fast growing birth rate, midwives working in our services provide care for women and their families of approximately 10,000 babies a year, with projections that it will continue to rise in the years to come.
We aim to provide the right care, at the right time, in the right place for all women and their families.
The type of care we provide ranges from Midwifery-led continuity of care models for women with normal pregnancies, right through to the highly collaborative interdisciplinary team care required for women experiencing complexity in their pregnancy or high risk Fetal conditions.
All of our care is underpinned by the philosophies of woman-centred care, best clinical practice and empowerment of women to participate in decisions about their own healthcare.
Becoming a Midwife
The Graduate Diploma of Midwifery is a tertiary sector qualification for Registered Nurses to become Registered Midwives, hold dual registration with APHRA, and be able to work anywhere in Australia as a Registered Midwife
WSLHD offers clinical placements for Graduate Diploma of Midwifery students for a period of 12 months. During this time you will be given the opportunity to experience a broad range of clinical situations within Midwifery practice, which will allow you to gain the knowledge and skills that will be required to complete the clinical components of your degree and to register as a midwife in Australia.
You will be employed as a Registered Nurse/Student Midwife on a 12 month temporary contract, 32 hours per week, 7 day rotating roster, at your current RN level pay rate.
Positions are available at three of our hospitals
- Auburn
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Blacktown
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Westmead
Application Processes
There are two separate application processes to this program that you must complete:
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MidStart is the process sponsored by the NSW Health Nursing and Midwifery Office (NaMO) to facilitate and coordinate the process of applying for a student midwife clinical placement in NSW Health Hospitals.
You can learn more about this process here:
http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/nursing/employment/Pages/midstart.aspx
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Enrolment in an approved University Graduate Diploma of Midwifery via University Admissions Centre (www.uac.edu.au) Currently we work in partnership with:
For individual enquiries email [email protected]
Scholorships Available
We encourage you to apply for a NaMO Scholarship for Postgraduate Studies to help you with paying university fees etc. Applicants undertaking the Graduate Diploma of Midwifery are generally very successful in having their application approved.
See below for more details:
https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/nursing/scholarship/Pages/schol-postgraduate.aspx
Auburn Hospital provides comprehensive midwifery-led care for low-risk women and their families, delivering family-centred care to an array of culturally and linguistically diverse women. Auburn midwives work collaboratively with the obstetrics and gynaecology team, interpreters, bilingual health care workers, physiotherapy, and social work to provide inclusive and individualised care for women and their families.
Approximately 1,500 women birth at Auburn Hospital each year, and this number is steadily increasing. MidStart students working at Auburn Hospital will have the opportunity to work in all areas of maternity services, including Antenatal Clinic, Birth Unit, Postnatal Ward, Newborn Care and our Community Midwifery Unit. Due to the small and low risk nature of our facility, MidStart students will have the unique opportunity to develop core midwifery skills in normal birth, working to develop as independent practitioners in a supportive and nurturing environment.
At Auburn, we work closely with students and their universities to support professional growth and development of all students. MidStart students at Auburn will have exciting opportunities to participate in current research projects being undertaken at Auburn Hospital Maternity Services, which may include the use of sterile water injections in labour, management of anaemia in pregnancy, and piloting research into impacts of birth environment design on mobility in labour. Students will also be provided with an array of clinical and theoretical learning opportunities, including regular in-services, while providing exceptional midwifery care to women through the antenatal, intrapartum and postpartum continuum.
The Women’s and Children’s Health Services at Blacktown provide comprehensive care for women that is based upon the principles of being woman/person-centred and putting the individual at the heart of all that we do in caring for all our community members.
With over 3800 births per year, Blacktown Maternity services have state of the art facilities which include modern postnatal care and birthing rooms (most with birthing pools) and expanded newborn care services for babies who need extra support.
Midwifery students have the opportunity to experience a diverse range of care models with rotations through all areas of the Maternity Service.
Students will have the support of senior clinical staff and Clinical Midwifery Educators in all areas including afterhours support. We work closely with our university partners to ensure your clinical requirements are met.
For more information contact:
Gracie Borg
Phone: 0419446946
E-mail:
[email protected]
Women’s & Newborn Health at Westmead Hospital provides comprehensive care for a large local community of women and their families. We are also a level 6 state-wide tertiary referral Maternity service, that provides care for women experiencing complex pregnancy and /or high risk fetal conditions.
Westmead currently has the highest birthing rate in NSW with over 5,500 births annually, which makes for excellent learning opportunities that students can carry with them throughout their career.
Here at Westmead, we offer rotations through Maternity, Birthing Unit, and Women’s Health Ward, High Risk Antenatal Care, Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and a variety of Models of Care provided to women during the antenatal period, including a Day Assessment Unit. Westmead also provides a highly success Caseload Midwifery Service with a team of approximately 25 midwives providing one on care to our women. We have also commenced our successful publicly funded homebirth program within our Caseload team.
Student midwives are provided with many supported learning opportunities at Westmead. You will be supported by Clinical Midwifery Educators on every ward, including 2 after hours Clinical Midwifery Educators for out of hours learning opportunities. We work closely with your chosen University to provide a well-rounded, supportive education journey.
Meet Your WSLHD Midstart Team
Westmead Hospital
Ros Tobin: Midwifery Educator, Westmead Hospital & WSLHD
Ros began her career as a Registered Nurse in 1987 and became a Registered Midwife two years later. She has worked in a variety of hospitals as a Registered Nurse/Registered Midwife before coming to Westmead Hospital as a Clinical Midwifery Educator in 2001. Ros worked in the Maternity ward as clinical educator before taking up the full-time role of Midwifery Educator in 2011.
Ros continued her formal education with a Graduate Diploma of Education & Training and a Master of Nursing Leadership. Ros is passionate about professional development of clinicians in a supportive and nurturing environment, encouraging them to explore the many opportunities that are available to provide safe person-centred care and to make a clinician’s own career aspirations possible.
Karen Johns: MIM Facilitator & Midwifery Educator, WSLHD
Karen Johns commenced her nursing career as a Registered Nurse in 1992. She has worked in a variety of clinical areas including the Emergency Department, surgical and medical wards. In 1993, Karen commenced her Graduate Diploma in Midwifery with the University of Sydney at Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. She has over 25 years of Birth Unit experience and has been involved in Midwifery education for 10 years, initially at Auburn Hospital as a Clinical Midwifery Educator then moving to Westmead as a Midwifery Educator in 2016.
Karen has post graduate qualifications in Midwifery, Child and Family Health, Education, and practised as an International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant for 10 years.
Karen is passionate about Midwifery, supporting women, education, and supporting student midwives and newly graduated midwives. I have been a Midwifery Educator at Westmead Hospital for 7 years and am now currently in the Mentor in Midwifery facilitation role (MiM), striving to create a supportive and nurturing environment for student midwives, early career midwives and all members of our midwifery team.
Elizabeth Glover: Acting Midwifery Educator, Westmead Hospital
Elizabeth began her career as a Registered Nurse in 2009 and commenced her Graduate Diploma of Midwifery with the University of Technology Sydney at Westmead Hospital in 2012. As a registered Midwife, Elizabeth has worked across the Women’s Health Division with her focus in Birth Unit as a senior clinician striving to provide holistic, high-quality midwifery care and supported staff whilst working as a Clinical Midwifery Educator.
Elizabeth has worked as an acting Clinical Midwifery Consultant both in Maternity Informatics and Maternal Transfer Redesign Lead over the last two years and has worked across the Western Sydney Local Health District, facilitating training and education and has a passion for clinical teaching and leadership.
Elizabeth took over the role of acting Midwifery Educator and Student Midwife Clinical Coordinator in December 2023 and will continue to work in the role until October 2024
Elizabeth is passionate and committed to providing a supportive learning environment for the professional growth and development of student midwives, new graduate midwives and Women and Newborn Health staff. [email protected] Mobile: 0437 692 345
Blacktown Hospital
Gracie Borg: Midwifery Educator, Blacktown Hospital
Gracie Borg is a passionate and highly experienced midwife who has had an extensive career working in all areas of midwifery. Gracie has a strong focus on woman centred care and midwifery education. Gracie works closely with students, new graduates, and university partners to ensure and foster a supportive educational environment to facilitate clinicians to be able to learn and grow into excellent Midwives. Gracie is also committed to safe and high-quality midwifery care.
0419446946
[email protected]
Auburn Hopsital
Lily Ho: Clinical Midwifery Educator, Auburn Hospital
Lily completed her midwifery training in Auburn Hospital and then worked at Westmead in the caseload model of care and the homebirth program. She is passionate about learning and imparting knowledge and skills. She is currently studying her Masters of Primary Maternity Care. Lily finds it a rewarding experience to work with students and is a strong advocate for women centered care.
Tel 8759 3544
[email protected]
Sital Sadhra: A/H Clinical Midwifery Educator, Auburn Hospital
Sital completed her midwifery training at St George Hospital and went on to practice at Westmead Hospital. She is currently practicing as the afterhours midwifery educator at Auburn Hospital and doing her Masters in Global Health, with a focus on achieving equity for women's health globally. She is very passionate about education and supporting staff and students to develop ongoing clinical skills to support women through their journey of pregnancy and motherhood.
Tel 8759 3544
[email protected]
Learn more about the MidStart Clinical Program