Released 13/03/2019
Canberra Health Services is concerned that unsubstantiated claims made by anonymous individuals in submissions to the Legislative Assembly Inquiry into Maternity Services in the ACT are being presented as facts in media reports.
The allegations are misleading and unfair and likely to lead to unnecessary concerns in the community about public maternity services in the territory.
Further, the unsubstantiated allegations are an unfair attack upon the dedicated and caring staff of CHS.
The media headlines do not reflect the unsubstantiated nature of the allegations.
This is occurring before the Standing Committee on Health, Ageing and Community Services has begun to hear evidence. Public hearings are not scheduled to take place until the middle of the year.
The committed and hard-working staff of the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children provide safe and high quality care in a modern and well-equipped facility.
Feedback CHS receives in relation to patients’ experience of treatment in the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children is overwhelmingly positive.
CHS encourage all patients, including those who have had a positive experience, to lodge a submission to the inquiry.
CHS is committed to working with maternity staff to address issues impacting patient care or the wellbeing of our staff.
There are processes in place at CHS for staff to raise any concerns about clinical service delivery.
In addition, since joining CHS in October 2018, CEO Bernadette McDonald has encouraged staff who have such concerns to contact her via email, make an appointment to see her or take up her standing invitation to join her for lunch in the staff cafeteria one day a week.
“We’re a team and we need to work together to make sure that CHS’s service is the best that it can be,” Ms McDonald said.
“I am incredibly proud of the great work our maternity staff do each day and am very disappointed that they are being subjected to publication of unsubstantiated claims about their professional practice.”
Ms McDonald said CHS was working actively to recruit more midwives and to retain those already working at the Centenary Hospital to address staffing issues that occur at times. She noted that there was currently a national shortage of midwives.
Members of the public who wish to provide feedback on CHS’s maternity services can make a submission to the inquiry by emailing LACommitteeHACS@parliament.act.gov.au.
CHS encourages them to also contact its Consumer Feedback team on (02) 6207 7627 or via email at healthfeedback@act.gov.au.
- Statement ends -
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