New chance for lapsed midwives to resume practice

Sydney Adventist Hospital has partnered with the University of Newcastle to offer a pathway for unregistered midwives to re-enter the workforce.

Any midwives who have let their registration lapse for between five and 10 years are eligible to rejoin the register after completing the one-year course.

University of Newcastle's Graduate Certificate in Midwifery (Re-entry to Practice)
Program allows graduates to practice as registered midwives with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia under the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).

The maternity unit at Sydney Adventist Hospital – also known as the San – supports this pathway to re-registration and provides practice placements for up to 12 experienced midwives who are looking to complete the Return to Practice Program in 2026.

New South Wales' largest private hospital provides the full range of professional experience placements required as part of the Graduate Certificate in Midwifery program.

Placements will be completed at San Maternity, including a minimum of two continuity-of-care relationships with women, approximately 40 hours, and 160 rostered placement hours to complete the required clinical experiences and learning outcomes

Students who successfully complete the program will have the knowledge and qualifications to practice as a midwife with career opportunities at the San.

The deadline to apply is 11 January 2026 - visit the university program site for more information.

Each year, San Maternity welcomes around 1,700 new babies.

The hospital has 40 purpose-built, architecturally-designed private rooms, along with nine dedicated birthing suites, all with electronic beds to provide support in different birthing positions.

All suites have ensuites with showers and baths, and two have specifically-designed pools for water births.

On the same level as the birthing suites, the San also has a Special Care Nursery, which is an accredited high-dependency neonatal unit.

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