Page 1282 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 3 April 2019
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these are just some of the investments this government is making to keep our city safe as it grows.
Centenary Hospital for Women and Children—examinations policy
MR MILLIGAN: My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Why did the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children introduce a policy of having midwives present during vaginal examinations?
MS FITZHARRIS: I will take that question on notice.
MR MILLIGAN: Minister, are you aware of any other instances of vaginal examinations being performed without the consent of the patient which led to this policy?
MS FITZHARRIS: No. I note there is a consent policy across Canberra Health Services, which includes maternity services. It was renewed in 2016 and is due for renewal again this year.
MRS DUNNE: Minister, can you be precise and tell the Assembly whether there is any investigation into the matter reported to the Canberra Hospital on 7 February either in your office or in the department?
MS FITZHARRIS: No. On the particular matter received on 7 February there is a range of follow-up actions which are quite extensive and which I will detail in full in the next sitting. The precise consumer feedback received on 7 February did not provide any detail of the individual or the person or the time at which the alleged matter took place. While efforts were made to see if further information could be acquired it was not possible to do so given how scant the information was in that consumer feedback.
I note that Canberra Health Services encourages through their consumer feedback channels that if a person wishes to make an anonymous submission it will respect that submission and respect the request of the person making it.
Canberra Health Services—media statement
MRS KIKKERT: My question is to the Minister for Health and Wellbeing. Minister, in the media statement issued by Canberra Health Services on 13 March 2019, it was stated, “The allegations are misleading and unfair.” And yet Canberra Health Services knew that a complaint had been made. Indeed, a staff meeting to discuss the complaint and the issue it raised about protocols associated with medical procedures had been held only the day before. Minister, why did you allow Canberra Health Services to make media statements that, in themselves, were misleading and unfair to the concerns raised by the patient?
MS FITZHARRIS: As I indicated before, Canberra Health Services wished to make this statement. I was aware of it but did not have role in approving it.
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