News
New Leader of Australian Obstetricians Welcomes Government's New Maternity Plans With a But... |
| Spokesperson: | National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynaccologists |
| Date: | Monday, 29 June 2009 |
| Category: | Women's Health |
| Australia’s peak group of specialist obstetricians and gynaecologists today pledged to work with the Federal Government on the introduction of legislation that promotes the role midwives play in assisting specialist doctors in delivering healthy babies. The new President of the National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (NASOG), Dr Hilary Joyce said that specialist doctors want to support the work of good midwives in hospitals and within collaborative practices. “A strong collaborative model of patient care will ensure the safest and most equitable access to treatment for every Australian woman and her baby, and continue Australia’s marvelous obstetric safety record” said Dr Joyce. However, Dr Joyce said that Australian women and their babies would fare even better if the Government also overturned a proposed budget measure that will adversely impact on every woman who seeks choice, access and affordability for her pregnancy care. Dr Joyce said enhancing the ability of obstetricians and midwives to work together via the Medicare Benefits Schedule may be appropriate but any positive outcomes for mothers and their babies could be undermined by the proposed winding back of the obstetric safety net for patients. “If this increased financial burden means women can no longer afford private obstetric care, they will inevitably be forced to go over to the public hospital maternity services which are already overwhelmed and barely coping with the increased birth rate of the last five years,” Dr Joyce said. ‘I know the Minister for Health and Ageing cares for pregnant women and their babies. The Government wouldn’t have made such a commitment to improving maternity services in this country if that weren’t the case. But the Government must now realize that it will be punishing those very women who want and need affordable and equitable access to specialist care for their pregnancies and their births if it goes ahead with its budget cuts to obstetric services. In line with higher risk to mother and baby shown extensively in overseas studies, NASOG applauds the Government announcement that it will not endorse midwives practising alone outside clinical settings. “As the new President of NASOG, I look forward to working well with the Minister and her Cabinet colleagues in seeking to ensure Australian mothers-to-be have safe, affordable and timely access to the best model of maternity services care available in this country,” Dr Joyce said today. For all Media inquiries, please contact: Dr Hilary Joyce President of NASOG 0418 600 858 or 02 48 624004 Ms Jannette Cotterell MD of Executive Counsel Australia 0419 2049 059 |
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