hello all, I feel like we need to don black armbands. In case you think I am being overly dramatic......read on. The groundbreaking, trailblazing initiative for expanding women's choice in birthing - the John Hunter Hospital team of midwives, is under threat. The hospital's management are looking for $300,000 to offset budgetry cuts or underfunding or blowouts (not sure which/what name it comes under) under the cost squeezing business that is going on within the fiscally minded areas. So, of course, what do they do? Choose the area that women like, the area that has been proven to satisfy women more and that is more likely to help women achieve a satisfying, natural birth experience. An area that is 'low tech' - with no machines that go 'ping'. And why? well, it's midwifery care isn't it? and it's to do with women, so as we know, both midwives and women are not considered all that highly in the 'boy's' field of medical dominance (and even if they are women who make the decision, they are playing the boy's game and it's the old game of shafting those from the same group to align with the powerful elite - yep, horizontal violence - and part of that game is to tell those that are victimised not to say anything and to criticise those that do. The trouble is, people don't even realise consciously that they are playing the 'game'. People get to view daft, discriminatory decisions as 'common sense', not even realising that 'common sense' is constructed and determined by the hegemonic ideals and values of the ruling class. That's all part of the hypnotic fog created by power imbalances. So people, get your pens and papers out, write letters, campaign to 'Save the midwifery team concept' at John Hunter Hospital - write to the papers, get the ball out of the court of those that seek to diminish women's choices, options and satisfation - not to mention cause havoc within the midwifery group that feel fulfillled and valued by working in a way that satisfies them. Oh how I hate economic rationalism that is only rational to the power brokers that like high tech, razzle dazzle doo dah's that leave out and trample on the heart and soul of us human beings. We all have to live within our budgets, that's life and that's sensible. What isn't sensible is how the budget is allocated. Now if I chose to spend my budget on computer whizz bangs and not on food and clothes, then I have a problem. That is the problem the health budget is facing. Not enough primary health care spending and too much whizz bang goodies purchasing. I know that what we resist, persists and I have done my darndest not to resist medical dominance and colonisation of the birth process, I have sought to 'avoid' and circumnavigate it. But good grief, threatening the first team concept in Australia, to think that the power brokers would consider demolishing a gold standard service - a large page in the history books of midwifery and women centred care in this country, stirs me up. The people to write to are: Dr Katherine McGrath CEO and Mrs Anne Saxton ADON Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Professor William Walters Professor of the above of John Hunter Hospital Locked Bag No 1 Newcastle Mail Exchange Newcastle NSW 2310 with my black armband on, I thank the Goddess of birthing women for the senate inquiry!! love, Carolyn -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
