MIDWIVES — REGIONS
352. Ms L. METTAM to the Minister for Health:
I refer to the shortage of midwives
across the state, which is causing the cancellation of some midwifery services
in regional communities.
(1) What does the
minister say to mothers, like Carnarvon's Bronwyn Brankovic, who cannot
deliver their babies in their community?
(2) How are Western
Australians meant to reconcile the government's $5.7 billion surplus
when regional women are forced to undertake a 1 000-kilometre round trip to
give birth?
Ms A.
SANDERSON replied:
(1)–(2) First,
I need to correct the member's question. The member said that some
midwifery services have been cancelled. One area has been paused; one service
has been paused. The member was misleading the house again. The hallmark of
this opposition is to mislead, mislead, mislead.
Ms L. Mettam: Oh, just one
region!
Ms A. SANDERSON: One region.
I do not make light of that in any way.
Ms L. Mettam: You just did.
Ms A. SANDERSON: No, I am
correcting the misleading information that the member gave to the house. I am
correcting her. I do not make light of that at all. That is challenging for
those women. This is not a matter of money or funding, because those positions
are fully funded. No-one took them out of the budget.
Ms L. Mettam: Where's
the incentives, then?
Ms A. SANDERSON: There are
generous incentives for midwives, nurses and medical staff to work in the
regions. There is a global midwifery shortage. It is happening around the
world.
Ms L. Mettam: Bury your head,
then!
Ms A. SANDERSON: This is a serious
challenge. Do not make light of it! There is a global midwifery shortage. That
is exceptionally challenging. I have heard the opposition trot out a whole
bunch of lies around this issue. Rather than making claims about these women,
they should send those women to us and we will support them and work with them
to manage their births. Women work with the WA Country Health Service and their
midwifery group practice on their birth plan, so it does not come as a surprise
to them. There is lots of information and support. We are absolutely committed
to reinstating this service. We are working incredibly hard to make sure that
we can have midwives in that area. I understand that people want to birth closer
to home. There is no question that this is a region that we have struggled to
staff because of the national shortage of midwives.
We
are reimbursing 100 per cent of the costs for women and their families to have
their babies in Geraldton or Perth. That was more misinformation from
opposition members—they said in the media that women are paying out of
their own pockets and that the patient assisted travel scheme does not cover
it. If that is the case, they should send them to us and we will ensure that they
are reimbursed. I have said it in the Parliament, I have written a letter to
the member for North West Central and
I will say it again: we will reimburse 100 per cent of those costs because we
recognise that it is a challenge to
be far away from home and that there are costs associated with that. I acknowledge
that this is a challenging situation
for women and their families in Carnarvon. We are working incredibly hard to
fill this gap. It is one gap in excellent obstetric services across our
very wide state. The most important thing for these women is to have a safe birth supported by excellent health
professionals. They will get that in the Western Australian health system.