Page 1163 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 2 April 2019
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video
MS FITZHARRIS: I was made aware that Canberra Health Services felt very strongly about this matter. These issues were discussed with me on 13 March, they advised that this was the course of action that they would like to take, and I was made aware.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, did you get notice before the release was going out and did you in any way approve the contents of the release?
MS FITZHARRIS: I was certainly made aware that this was a statement that they wished to make and they were very clear to me that they wished to make it. They did provide me with a copy.
Canberra Health Services—examination procedures
MR WALL: My question, too, is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Minister, I refer to an email that a consultant midwife sent in February 2019 to midwives in Canberra Health Services. In the email the consultant stated that “a chaperone should be present for all exams”. She went on to comment that she hoped “this serves as a reminder and support to ensure all interactions are performed only after ensuring informed consent is given”. A copy of this email was sent to you on 30 March 2019. Minister, what prompted the consultant midwife to send an email of this nature to midwives?
MS FITZHARRIS: The email that was received reads:
Dear team
Please see below feedback. Whilst it is hard to know what are the circumstances here with no details, I share as a timely reminder that a chaperone should be present for all exams. As midwives, I know you advocate for women strongly, and hope this serves as a reminder and support to ensure all interactions are performed only after ensuring informed consent is given.
I am advised that the email, which both the opposition and I received, was based on the consumer feedback from an anonymous submitter on Thursday, 7 February. If I could be very clear, the advice to me from CHS is that this does not occur. It is most serious—
Mrs Dunne: Of course it is. It’s assault.
MS FITZHARRIS: If the opposition would like to accuse members of the ACT Health Directorate or Canberra Health Services outside this place of committing assault, I welcome them to do that.
Opposition members interjecting—
MS FITZHARRIS: Mrs Dunne has just accused members of Canberra Health Services of committing assault. I welcome her to make those assertions outside the chamber.
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . . Video