Hi Jennifairy, Cheryl resigned several months ago. She has worked tirelessly at the hospital for, I think, around 15 years and those years of call on top of having a young family have just burned her out. Her children are of an age where they need ferrying to cricket etc etc on the weekends, school stuff and the rest of it that mothers need to be involved with with their families. She is absolutely mortified that her decision has resulted in such turmoil. None of the GP's in town do private obstetrics. Some will do antenatal care for some or most of the pregnancy but send the women to book publicly with us or go to the private hospital in Cairns. She has worked closely with our unit to try to help set up a satisfactory arrangement for when she had gone. I think initially there was hope that we could replace her but sadly it has not happened. I totally agree at the unprofessional way we were told. Even our NUM was only notified either at or a couple of minutes prior to the meeting. Lines have been running hot, one needs an appointment to get to a phone at the moment. Mothers and husbands and midwives etc have been emailing and ringing MP's, the Premier's office and anything they can think of. I suspect there will be a good turnout. We are attempting to ring every woman currently booked with us to let them know and it was announced on the local news tonight. Apparently it will be in the local rag tomorrow. Someone has found out that one of the greatest stumbling blocks are the two doctors in Atherton that want their hospital to be the "hub" of the tableland, they have vetoed the suggestion of a birth centre outright. We are not letting that lie. If this was not a public forum you would blush at some of the names bandied around. Now I must go to bed, off tonight after 4 nights and only 2 hrs sleep this morning. I can hear my bed calling ever more loudly. Thank you all for your support. Cheers Judy
--- Jennifairy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > How awful for the women who were intending to birth there, & > for you & > the other the staff working there for the PTB's at the > Hospital to put > out a media release & have a 'last minute' meeting as the only > > communication on this issue. Not 'professional', or caring in > any way of > the consequences of this decision to you & the other people > who will > suffer from it. > Was this a 'snap decision' by this Dr to go into private > practice? Was > there no dicussion beforehand that things were going to change > & how to > deal with it when it did? > So now the only women *allowed* to birth at Mareeba will be > this Dr's > private clients? > I so hope that you all as a community can use this opportunity > to set up > a fabulous midwifery-led service to provide an alternative to > this Dr > who seems to have no regard for those women who will not be > his/her clients! > Hopefully there will be a great turn-out at this rally from > all the > women who have already had their babies with you & the other > wonderful > midwives there - its amazing what a bunch of angry women can > acheive! > Please keep us posted on how it goes, & if I can offer > anything in the > way of support please let me know. > cheers > jennifairy > > > Maternity Ward Mareeba Hospital wrote: > > > We have put in a submission to operate as a freestanding > birth centre > > but only God knows where that has gone. > > I am on night shift and having a class out of town as soon > as I was up > > I did not even see the news. It was left to a friend to tell > me at > > 2100 that I might not have a job!!!. Those staff that were > phoned were > > given 25 minutes to get into work for a meeting and the > announcment > > that we may not have births here. > > Now that I am at work I see the print out of the media > release. We > > will be able to do antenatal and postnatal care. Big deal. > They keep > > talking about safety to the baby but seem to have no idea > that > > birthing on the road to another place is not safe. Here is a > sentence > > from the release "The priority is to ensure women experience > a safe > > environment in which to give birth supported by > appropriately > > qualified medical and nursing staff." They just don't get > it! Cairns > > Base Hospital is having trouble managing the births from > Cairns and > > the high risk from the whole of Cape York. Atherton Hospital > has had > > its proper maternity unit closed because of lead in the > paint. They > > now have a poky little spot at the end of a surgical ward. I > believe > > they only have 4 or 5 postnatal beds. No bath, no pressure > in the > > water from the shower. Terrible statistics. Apparently that > is safer > > than here. Midwives don't want to stay there. > > Here we have midwives who have worked hard for the last 12 > years to > > make this place what it is, a good example of midwifery > model of care. > > None of these have been consulted. The women have not been > consulted. > > After all, they are obviously not qualified to make a choice > for the > > safety of themselves and their babies. > > They reckon it will only be for up to six mohths. I am not > sure what > > will happen then, they have been unable to replace our very > able Med > > Super when he retired early last year. > > We have the Mayor and council supporting us and it seems the > phones > > were running hot (as I and several other midwives remained > blissfully > > unaware of our fate) to MP's etc. There is a rally in town > on thursday. > > Pardon my rambling, I am tired and very very upset. > > Judy > > > > >>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] 05/09/05 10:48pm >>> > > Is this not the time for Qld to its first midwife led > maternity > > service in Mareeba?? > > Denise Hynd > > > > "Let us support one another, not just in philosophy but in > action, for > > the sake of freedom for all women to choose exactly how and > by whom, > > if by anyone, our bodies will be handled." > > > > — Linda Hes > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > *From:* Judy Chapman <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > *To:* ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au > > <mailto:ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au> > > *Sent:* Monday, May 09, 2005 7:51 PM > > *Subject:* [ozmidwifery] Mareeba Maternity > > > > Mareeba midwives are in mourning. With our most > experienced Dr > > going into private practice we have been told today that > we may > > not do any more births after friday. We can still do > antenatal and > > postnatal care. > > I have not yet been to work today so I had to find out > from the > > local news!!! > > We will keep you posted. > > Judy > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > Find local movie times and trailers on *Yahoo! 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