Page 2065 - Week 10 - Wednesday, 25 October 1989
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woman who had decided on a homebirth delivery and was later admitted to Royal Canberra Hospital. As a consequence of that admission there was some concern generated in the medical profession and, of course, amongst people from the Home Birth Association, and there was some subsequent discussion of the issue. It also focused, for example, on the issue of access by community midwives to hospital services in cases where there are some difficulties which arise in homebirth situations and the people involved wish to go to hospital or are taken to hospital.
As an interim measure, the clinical privileges committee from the Royal Canberra Hospital has recommended an interim policy to deal with this situation. As a result of that, on 5 October the interim hospitals board took action to introduce this interim policy, to ensure that there is appropriate care for homebirths transferring to hospitals.
The board has sought advice from the obstetrics working party, which includes representatives of the Home Birth Association, the Nursing Mothers Association, the Childbirth Education Association, the Australian College of Midwives and the women's health adviser, on recommended detailed procedures for adopting a final policy on this matter. I think it is most appropriate, Mr Speaker, that the final policy of the hospital is developed in a consultative way by those groups that are represented on the obstetrics working party, which has been set up by the board. This presents a better and more acceptable treatment to people wanting homebirths in those circumstances where they are transferred to hospital. I am sure that in the future a better service will be provided for these people in Canberra.
Preschool Closures
MR MOORE: My question is directed to the Minister for Industry, Employment and Education. Mr Whalan, considering first of all that this is Children's Week, considering your statements in the Estimates Committee about a genuine consultation process concerning preschools, and considering tonight's public meeting, will you assure the public in quite clear, categorical terms and reiterate basically what you said in the Estimates Committee, that no preschool need necessarily close?
MR WHALAN: I thank Mr Moore for the question. In relation to preschools, one of the realities that has to be faced is that, over a period of time, the age structure in particular suburbs changes. We know for a fact that in areas such as Tuggeranong there is a far greater proportion of preschool children than there is in some of the more established suburbs.
In some areas such as Reid, where there is a declining school population, we have found it appropriate to maintain
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