Re: [ozmidwifery] No Births at Ryde Birth Centre

[Justine Caines]

Title: Re: [ozmidwifery] No Births at Ryde Birth Centre

Dear All

Ryde Midwifery Group Practice is not closing.  For the immediate future all women booked on the RMGP will need to birth at RNS.

I believe Ryde Hospital is having some issues and there is a view to ‘remove’ the RMGP from greater Hosp issues (as the MGP is going beautifully) simply to avoid the MGP being caught up in any political who ha (like happened with Camden -and believe me I know because it was our very effective rally where we stole all of Bob Carr’s thunder that got things happening in Camden).  

The thing with Camden/Campbelltown is when issues are levelled at a Hosp (even unrelated) it makes it very hard to get our work going.  This is probably one of the reasons why the Camden model is still birthing in Campbelltown (mad, wrong, etc etc) but a political imperative (according to those with the power).

Ryde is too important to the greater maternity reform agenda too lose in unrelated hospital issues.  Whilst I am disappointed for the women who are birthing now and will be affected I think sometimes we have to weigh up issues for the greater good.

At the same time we need to support the women in the here and now (this is something I have always arued for when bureacrats talk softly softly on reform)

There are some options.  If any woman wants to stand their ground let us know and we can support her.  Otherwise I think we really need to insist that these women have the same facilities they could in Ryde ie access to water etc etc.  Obviously they will still have their known midwife.

Please let us know if we can assist in advocating for these women as MC was part of the establishment of the Ryde service and we have all the relevant contacts.

In solidarity

Justine