[ozmidwifery] Sad article reinforcing the need for rural maternity units

[Helen and Graham]

http://www.abc.net.au/cgi-bin/common/printfriendly.pl?http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200606/s1657819.htm   ABC Online Father forced to deliver stillborn baby on roadside. 07/06/2006. ABC News Online Last Update: Wednesday, June 7, 2006. 6:21pm (AEST) Father forced to deliver stillborn baby on roadside The Queensland Opposition says a man was forced to deliver a stillborn baby on the side of the road after his pregnant wife was sent from one hospital to another. Opposition MP Vaughan Johnson says the couple were sent from the Emerald hospital to Rockhampton last month, when the baby was found to have died in the womb. He says the baby was delivered on the way. Mr Johnson says the woman left Emerald in the family car and should have been transported in an ambulance. He says he is not satisfied with the response of Health Minister Stephen Robertson "The Minister displayed cold, callous, despicable leadership here this morning," he said. "I call on Stephen Robertson to find out why, and what sort of a remedy he's going to put in place, not only [at] Emerald but other hospitals throughout Queensland, to make sure that this deplorable despicable act never happens again." Mr Robertson says there was no sign of labour when the woman left Emerald. But he has told Parliament the local health district is investigating and that the couple has other options as well. "Those people have the right to put this matter before the Health Rights Commission, they have the right to have this matter fully and independently investigated," he said.