Variations in models of care in NSW – Results from the MaCCS validation study making a difference to women

A review of Australian maternity data collections by the National Perinatal Epidemiology and Statistics Unit (NPESU) in 2010 identified key data gaps, including the lack of nationally agreed definitions for models of maternity care that take into account variations in service delivery between institutions and jurisdictions. As part of the Commonwealth-funded National Maternity Data Development Project, the NPESU developed the Maternity Care Classification System (MaCCS). The MaCCS is a world-first system that will enable the collection of data to facilitate meaningful analysis and comparisons of maternal and perinatal outcomes under different models of care.