ACT Branch PO Box 269 LYNEHAM ACT 2602
MEDIA RELEASE
Monday 30 July 2001
The Maternity Coalition (ACT Branch) calls on the Government to take responsible steps to reduce unnecessary health expenditure in light of recent media reports highlighting the waiting list crisis at Canberra Hospital. One immediate means of reducing unnecessary health expenditure is to reduce the current overservicing in maternity care by employing a midwifery model of care. By adopting appropriate models of maternity care, as overwhelmingly recommended by medical research, precious health resources could be channelled into elective surgery and a reduction in hospital waiting lists.
The ACT Minister for Health, Michael Moore, appears to be unnecessarily increasing health costs by refusing to find means of making insurance available for two independent midwives working in the ACT who will soon be unable to work as their insurer has decided not to renew their policies. Births currently assisted by these midwives will now be resourced by ACT hospitals.
The Maternity Coalition is very disappointed with Mr Moore's refusal. It directly contradicts the Government's own strategic health policy document 'Setting the Agenda'. It is a very sad day when a health minister is not prepared to take any action to promote greater wellbeing and cost effective care in such a heavily funded area of health.
The Government has a responsibility to promote the most appropriate and cost effective form of health care. The current obstetric model of maternity care is neither appropriate nor cost effective for the vast majority of women. Its practices, when applied to normal healthy pregnant women (85% of all pregnant women) are not supported by medical research. Indeed in these circumstances, most commonly used interventions are contraindicated.
Using specialist services for normal pregnancies not only contravenes World Health Organisation Recommendations but also findings of the Government's own working group, the ACT Maternal Perinatal Information Network
In 1997 an evaluation of the Community Midwives Pilot Project made recommendations that all women have access to midwife based care. The Government has not adopted these recommendations.
Precious health resources could be used in areas of highest need and hospital waiting lists reduced if the Government were to implement recommendations of a number of inquiries into maternity services and adopt a midwifery model of care.
For more information Contact: Justine Caines on 62381041 or 0408 210273 or Ingrid McKenzie on 6249 6684 or 0412 341209.