Page 4761 - Week 15 - Wednesday, 7 December 1994
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MRS CARNELL: We rang them and spoke to them about it. They actually believe that the woman should be told that she has a right not to be on the register. The point is that they do not want to do it. They actually say that they do not believe that it should be the responsibility of the medical practitioner to do it. So, we then decided to work to find out whether there was a way, as you said, to ensure that the woman, the patient involved, was told and at the same time to keep the doctors and the other health professionals onside so as to support this approach. That would seem to be an appropriate approach. We then spoke to - - -
Mr Lamont: Who talked to these people?
MRS CARNELL: My office and I spoke to them.
Mr Lamont: This is the same as your advice about the loopy laws last week.
MRS CARNELL: Do not be silly. We then spoke to various people, including people in the department, on how we could achieve the end of informing the woman without causing the problem that the doctors seem to have. I do not understand that issue. I believe that medical practitioners have an obligation to tell a patient whatever relevant information there is; but, as Mr Connolly says, it is important wherever possible to keep everyone onside on this important issue. Thus came the amendment that suggested that the Medical Officer of Health shall inform the patient, because I am told by the department that that is something that they totally support. They believe that a woman - - -
Mr Connolly: No. They said that it could be done, but the department's view is, "Do not tamper".
MRS CARNELL: I am sorry; that is not true. They believe that a woman should be told. Do you believe that a woman should not be told of her rights, Mr Connolly? That is simply ridiculous. Obviously, the woman involved must be told of her right not to be part of the register.
Mr Connolly: We are doing it by letter, which has been cleared by the Privacy Commission. To say that the Department of Health supports your amendment is quite wrong. Please withdraw it; otherwise I will have to accuse you of misleading.
MRS CARNELL: You have just said, Mr Connolly, that they were being informed by letter. Who is doing it if it is not the Department of Health?
Mr Connolly: You said that the department supports your amendment, and they patently do not.
MRS CARNELL: I am sorry. As I understand it, the department totally supports women being told of their rights, which is exactly what I have just said. The fact is that what these amendments are - - -
Mr Connolly: That was three positions in the course of one minute.
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