Judy

Have you got MC Qld involed
Bruce Teakle is the branch president as cc here

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" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <ozmidwifery@acegraphics.com.au>
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 7:42 PM
Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Mareeba Maternity



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."
>
> â?" 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
>
>
>

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