Page 3354 - Week 08 - Tuesday, 17 August 2010
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persistence in this matter, has actually brought forward the reviews that we have seen so far. It is only because Mr Hanson has prosecuted this so effectively in this place that we see these reviews at all.
What these reviewers reveal is quite alarming. They state:
The caseload program at the Canberra Hospital is oversubscribed, with a number of women expressing significant frustration at the lack of access to this model of care.
They talk about what happens in Tuggeranong. They then say:
There was a high level of dissatisfaction with access to public antenatal clinics at the Canberra Hospital. Waiting times at the Antenatal Clinic were also identified by women as unacceptable and problematic. The current lack of VMO appointments at the Canberra Hospital means that women under the care of a private obstetrician who require a transfer to the Canberra Hospital are almost always unable to maintain continuity of care. The reviewers were made aware of a number of women who expressed frustration with this situation.
There is a long litany here. I would like to go to the point that was made by Mr Corbell. He said that there is no risk. But I think there are risks and the reviewers point to them. The reviewers point to the risks. They say, in their looking forward, that things have to happen quickly to maintain clinical standards. We have to look at the fact that the reviewers report that there has been a 27 per cent increase in demand for maternity services and that has not been matched by an increase in staffing.
Then we have, on a number of occasions, the report pointing out that the working standards are in breach of the safe working concepts, that there is a shortage of clinical staff. These shortages of clinical staff are referred to at page 28 in particular:
Rosters at the Canberra Hospital indicate that the registrars are routinely working well in excess of 100 hours per fortnight.
This is outside the EBA and also inconsistent with the safe working concept. They also say:
On-call registrars … are expected to cover the Labour and Delivery unit as well as the birth centre. This creates a potential clinical risk for a patient who requires urgent attention.
Mr Corbell said everything was squeaky clean in the garden. That is not what the reviewers say. The reviewers say there is a potential to negatively impact the outcomes for women and this carries a significant risk to the Canberra Hospital in recruiting and retaining a stable midwifery workforce. What we see here is the tip of the iceberg. Yes, so far we have not seen any real catastrophes, but what this review points to is that there are risks and that the risks of overworking and being understaffed will result in bad outcomes.
This is an important issue today. It is not brought lightly. The failure of the minister to manage the Calvary purchase, her refusal to look at alternatives and the failure of this
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