Tragedy Highlights Dangers In Maternity Services
The death of a newborn baby girl just hours after she and her mother were discharged early from Wellington Hospital is a
terrible calamity - one which highlights the very real dangers that have arisen from the crisis currently faced by
maternity services throughout the country, ACT New Zealand Health Spokesman Heather Roy said today.
"This tragedy follows CCDHB's failed attempt to bribe new mothers, with a $100 grocery voucher, into leaving Wellington
Hospital just hours after giving birth - a move that I predicted would inevitably result in disaster," Mrs Roy said.
"As we have seen today misguided incentives, designed to address serious bed and midwife shortages, are a tragedy just
waiting to happen. Five or six hours after birth is not adequate a time to determine infant distress or birth
complications, and gives a paediatrician no time to thoroughly examine a baby - in this tragic case, a doctor was not
seen before discharge.
"Maternity services throughout the country - especially in Wellington - are in crisis. While Government spending has
steadily increased, politicians' meddling has resulted in a progressive decline in the options open to expectant parents
- a decline that began when Helen Clark, as Health Minister, promoted midwives over doctors to lower the cost to
Government of maternity services.
"What she achieved instead is an elimination of choice - virtually no GP in New Zealand delivers babies and, now, there
is such a midwife shortage that many women struggle to find anyone to deliver their child.
"Pregnant women no longer have choices about their maternity care - including that of whether a midwife or doctor
delivers their baby. Meanwhile, the Government - which caused this problem - won't address the workforce issues
plaguing, not just maternity services but, the entire health system," Mrs Roy said.
ENDS