SA GP Obstetric Shared Care Program
South Australian GP Obstetric Shared Care Program
Managed by gpex in partnership with SA Health, the South Australian Statewide GP Obstetric Shared Care Program is a well-established model of collaborative maternity care that supports continuity of care for pregnant women.
Engaging more than 810 accredited and provisionally accredited GPs across the state, it provides antenatal care in the community, in partnership with public hospital maternity services.
By enabling much of a woman’s routine pregnancy care to occur in general practice, the program improves access to care closer to home while helping to reduce demand on hospital antenatal clinics and supporting the efficient use of specialist maternity services.
This collaborative model is a powerful example of how integrated care can be delivered across the health system and has potential to be adapted to other areas of healthcare.
It supports the delivery of safe, evidence-based, and culturally responsive care, while enabling clinicians to work collaboratively and practice to the full scope of their expertise, strengthening both patient outcomes and system efficiency.
Highlights of the Obstetric Shared Care Program include:
- Collaborative Model Between GP, Midwives and Maternity Units
- Most antenatal care occurs in general practice
- Eligibility for low-risk pregnancies
- Accredited GP participation
- Statewide governance and coordination
- Standardised clinical perinatal guidelines
- Midwife Coordinator role
- Continuity and Accessibility for Women
- Data Collection and Program Evaluation
- Reduced burden on hospital outpatient services
To find out if you are eligible to become an accredited GP, or to see if the OSC program is suitable for you, please contact the GP Obstetric Shared Care Program Manager.
Obstetric Shared Care GP Locator
Use the Obstetric Shared Care GP Locator to search for a GP in your area.
OSC Accreditation
The GP Obstetric Shared Care Program operates a formal accreditation and governance framework endorsed by SA Health and underpinned by the South Australian Perinatal Practice Guidelines.
General Practitioners participating in the program are required to meet defined accreditation criteria, including recognised obstetric qualifications or relevant clinical experience, and completion of a dedicated OSC accreditation program.
Accreditation is maintained through ongoing continuing professional development, annual compliance monitoring, and adherence to statewide clinical guidelines to ensure safe, consistent, and evidence-based maternity care.
Omega 3 Test and Treat Program support
Through its management of the South Australian GP Obstetric Shared Care Program, gpex has supported GPs across the state to incorporate the Omega‑3 Test and Treat Program into antenatal care.
Strong engagement from GPs indicates a willingness to adopt evidence‑informed interventions in everyday practice, with Omega‑3 testing increasingly being integrated into routine care.
By providing targeted education and practical clinical guidance, GPEx supports the translation of research into real-world primary care. This contributes to a more preventative approach to antenatal care, with potential to reduce the risk of preterm birth.
This progress reflects effective collaboration between research, policy, and frontline primary care, and highlights GPEx’s role in enabling the uptake of evidence-based care within routine practice.
