February 15, 2003

Getting the message through to maternity managers

You may recall the fun and games I had when attending a birth at a hospital near where I live in Sydney (Diary entry for January 6). I followed up with a letter to the Unit Manager in which I detailed the problems we had encountered and our impressions of the Unit and its staff. This letter was not about the woman whose birth I was attending, but about the bigger picture of Unit policies, staff attitudes and skills and their willingness to be “with women” rather than “with the institution”. Their inflexibility, rudeness and lack of care for the woman’s needs during labour were also of concern.

There was quite a bit of discussion on the ozmidwifery list about this Diary entry, the main thrust of which was “shooting the messenger” because I had the temerity to point up some deficiencies, as I saw them, in this Unit. There was also the inference that I was really just touting for business (that is, running a workshop for their staff). Of course, their staff should be having a series of on-going in service sessions on how to be “with women” and the midwives we met early on certainly had no idea how to use a CTG or do a vaginal examination with the woman off the bed! It doesn’t matter who facilitates this practical skills training as long as they receive it and I certainly am busy enough not to be actively seeking work!

Finally, a letter of response has arrived today. It details the training that the staff have now received on the use of water during labour and birth, especially as it relates to the needs of the midwife. It says that my concerns “have been discussed at both ward and departmental level”. That’s all. I’ll bet they were discussed, and also the incident report that was generated on the night in question! The interesting thing is that the letter does not state that any action has been taken or is planned, or even that they have any comments on the issues that I raise and nowhere in the letter are the labouring women who might use this Unit mentioned.

The way this matter has been treated indicted to me that this unit does not have a woman-centred philosophy of care, that they are not listening to women (users of the service or their support team) and that they are unwilling to address any comments or suggestions that might improve the care they offer women. Given that this unit holds itself out as a “showpiece” in Sydney, I find this kind of arrogance very sad. What a missed opportunity for great public relations and positive publicity!

I will be closely following the experiences that several of my younger friends have when they give birth there in a few months time.

Posted by andrea at February 15, 2003 06:45 AM

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