Title: FW: Next Weeks program with Dr Wooldridge and Ms Macklin
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Health Dimensions is the half hour ABC TV program
on Tuesday 6:30pm.
Radio National has a half hour Medical Report
on Monday 8:30am
Both are hosted by DR Norman Swan!!
Denise
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2001 8:11
PM
Subject: FW: Next Weeks program with Dr
Wooldridge and Ms Macklin
Denise
Thanks so much for the info!! You're a Gem.
I take it Health Dimensions is also on Radio National.
Here it tis
FYI
Love
Justine
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From: Justine Caines
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date:
Tue, 30 Oct 2001 23:07:57 +1100
To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject:
Next Weeks program with Dr Wooldridge and Ms Macklin
Dear
Norman
I write on behalf of a national consumer organisation, The
Maternity Coalition. We are a group of mothers and midwives interested
in improving maternity care, particularly women having real choices in who
cares for them and especially access to midwifery led care, considered by the
World Health Organisation as the most cost effective and appropriate care for
the majority of women (80-85% is an accepted figure), rather than the
obstetric based model that is costly and only appropriate for a minority of
women requiring specialist care.
I put the question to Dr Wooldridge
and Ms Macklin on Australia Talks Back on Monday that although there have been
at least 6** inquiries to maternity care in the last 10 years in this country
and little if any of the recommendations that have been made have been taken
up. I asked why only a small percentage (3-5% nationally) have access to
midwife only care and would they expand this.
Wooldridge straight out
said no and cited a ridiculous argument that it would then create a precedent
for other practitioners not currently under Medicare (ie physiotherapists and
Chiropractors). We are not talking about another service though, the
birth of a child is the same under a midwife or GP. Except under a
midwife the outcomes are far more likely to be positive and the care is
cheaper to the Gov (as extensive research has proven). What disturbs me
is he then proceeded to answer another question on Medicare rebates for
alternate therapies to say that Medicare has been about Drs for too long and
he was proud to announce that certain non drug related therapies will be
covered by Medicare by Psychologists.
This hypocrisy is astounding.
What we need to remember is that
"More than a
quarter of a million babies are born every year in Australia. Childbirth
is the single most important reason for hospitalisation and accounts for the
highest number of occupied bed days." ##
It has been accepted
that a fee for service for pregnancy care can promote over servicing and about
the only outcome of the Senate report was a clamp down on the number of
ultrasound's performed on healthy pregnant women. More is spent on
ultrasound's in this country than on the entire antenatal budget. Our
post-natal services are as usual over-stretched and many women are suffering.
Unfortunately, once again no action is being taken on enabling women to
make choices for themselves. In NZ where women are provided with a birth
payment and can choose their carer 70% choose midwife only care. Yet our
federal Health Minister dismisses it outright!
Could you please follow
this up, particularly with Dr Wooldridge?
I would be happy to
provide any references for you and can be contacted on (02) 6238 1041 or by
return e-mail
Yours sincerely
Justine Caines
Maternity
Coalition ACT Branch
_____________________________________
**NSW
(Shearman Report 1989)
** Victoria (Having a baby in Vic 1990)
** ACT
Maternity Services Review 1994
**WA Select Ctte on Intervention in
Childbirth 1995
** NHMRC Options for effective care in childbirth
1996
** ##Rocking the Cradle (1999 Senate Community Affairs
Committee
Report into Childbirth
Procedures).
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