Capability frameworks for maternity and newborn services

Key messages

Victoria’s network of services means that, for most women and families, maternity and newborn care is provided close to home.
A tiered system with agreed levels of care for public maternity and newborn services means that women and families can have confidence in the consistency and quality of care they receive.
Capability frameworks support and guide how planned maternity and newborn care is provided.

The capability frameworks for Victorian maternity and newborn services:

Describe the requirements for providing safe and high-quality maternity and newborn care for Victorian public and private hospitals, including the:
- required workforce
- infrastructure
- equipment and clinical support services.
Assist health services to manage different complexities of care, making informed decisions about the:
- resources
- partnerships
- protocols.
Enable a transparent approach to planning and service development at a local level, taking into account community need.
Support health service regions and the department to plan and manage the maternity and newborn service system.

For further information download the framework document:

Services operate in a networked system across 6 levels of care:

Levels 1-3: Local care for healthy women and babies at low risk
Level 4: Local care for women and babes with some risk requiring additional care
Level 5-6: Local care for all women and babies. Regional/statewide care for women and babies at high risk

Download the capability levels for 2022-23 to 2023-24:

Reviewed 03 August 2023

Maternity and Newborn Program Department of Health GPO Box 4541, Melbourne, VIC 3001