Page 977 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 28 March 1990
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
great advances in relation to establishing or even offering support for the establishment of the sorts of services that Labor seeks to secure.
It is important that we ensure that obstetric beds remain in the public health system - and I say that at the risk of censure from those opposite. It is nice to see that the members opposite are suitably chastened after some reflection on their behaviour yesterday. The silence that we hear today is a welcome contrast to the rebellious behaviour that we saw from the benches opposite yesterday.
Of course, what this debate focuses on is the wish of the John James Hospital to open obstetric beds. That may suit the ends of some members of the medical profession who are not as supportive of the public health system as others, but it would undermine obstetric services in the public system and that is what Labor is about; ensuring that the public system is strong. The short-sighted granting of approval for obstetric beds at John James would leave training programs for both the nursing profession and the medical profession in doubt. It would also leave women in the ACT with fewer options for birthing. The transfer of beds from the public sector to the private sector would create an artificial shortage of beds within the public sector and force women into private insurance in order for them to afford those private beds set up in the private sector.
No government has the right, in my view, to force women into private insurance to avail themselves of these sorts of services. There has to be an open and accessible public service available for women wherein they can exercise a number of birthing options. That is not evident in the words or in the actions of the Government members opposite and some future for the provision of these services is in doubt because of the absence of any action from the Chief Minister and his Executive Deputy, Ms Maher.
It is quite obvious, from my point of view, that the level of care provided by these two members is not as desired by the women of the ACT. That these women are already disadvantaged in relation to women in other States needs to be addressed, but to further disadvantage them by reducing the opportunities for higher level training of both nursing and medical staff is unforgivable. It is for this reason that I move this motion today, because if the efficiency of the delivery of public obstetric health services is diminished by reducing the number of public beds and handing them over to the private sector, then the training opportunities for our nurses, for our midwives and for members of the medical profession and ancillary staff will be significantly diminished in the public sector.
That would result in a reduction of services to women in the ACT and I would hope that during the course of the debate the Government members opposite would indicate that they are prepared to do some work. It is fairly clear that
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .