❓ Dr. Hames questions the Minister for Health regarding obstetric services in Karratha, specifically the case of Sue Middleton-Duley and the promised fly-in fly-out obstetricians. The Minister defends the clinical decisions made regarding patient safety and resource allocation.
AnsweredQoN 137Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
KARRATHA HEALTH SERVICES — SUE MIDDLETON-DULEY
Last night the minister said that there were not enough pregnant women in Karratha to justify further obstetric services. Mr J.A. McGinty : Did I say that? Dr K.D. HAMES : That is what I read in the quote that came from the minister. However, in September those same women were promised four obstetric doctors on a fly in, fly out roster at Nickol Bay Hospital. (1) Does this not confirm that Chris O’Farrell is correct in saying that country health services are in a mess? (2) Has the minister investigated the case of Sue Middleton-Duley and other pregnant mothers who have been told that they have to drive to Port Hedland to have their babies? (3) What will the minister say to Mrs Middleton-Duley, who claims that the minister has ignored her and is forcing her and other pregnant women to be shipped out of Karratha? (4) Will the minister apologise to Mrs Middleton-Duley and other pregnant women in Karratha? Mr J.A. McGINTY
Last night the minister said that there were not enough pregnant women in Karratha to justify further obstetric services. Mr J.A. McGinty : Did I say that? Dr K.D. HAMES : That is what I read in the quote that came from the minister. However, in September those same women were promised four obstetric doctors on a fly in, fly out roster at Nickol Bay Hospital. (1) Does this not confirm that Chris O’Farrell is correct in saying that country health services are in a mess? (2) Has the minister investigated the case of Sue Middleton-Duley and other pregnant mothers who have been told that they have to drive to Port Hedland to have their babies? (3) What will the minister say to Mrs Middleton-Duley, who claims that the minister has ignored her and is forcing her and other pregnant women to be shipped out of Karratha? (4) Will the minister apologise to Mrs Middleton-Duley and other pregnant women in Karratha? Mr J.A. McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
(1)-(4) Normally, I would be reluctant to raise the details of a particular patient. However, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the issue, I will inform the house of some of the details. Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Mr J.A. McGinty : Did I say that? Dr K.D. HAMES : That is what I read in the quote that came from the minister. However, in September those same women were promised four obstetric doctors on a fly in, fly out roster at Nickol Bay Hospital. (1) Does this not confirm that Chris O’Farrell is correct in saying that country health services are in a mess? (2) Has the minister investigated the case of Sue Middleton-Duley and other pregnant mothers who have been told that they have to drive to Port Hedland to have their babies? (3) What will the minister say to Mrs Middleton-Duley, who claims that the minister has ignored her and is forcing her and other pregnant women to be shipped out of Karratha? (4) Will the minister apologise to Mrs Middleton-Duley and other pregnant women in Karratha? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) Normally, I would be reluctant to raise the details of a particular patient. However, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the issue, I will inform the house of some of the details. Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Dr K.D. HAMES : That is what I read in the quote that came from the minister. However, in September those same women were promised four obstetric doctors on a fly in, fly out roster at Nickol Bay Hospital. (1) Does this not confirm that Chris O’Farrell is correct in saying that country health services are in a mess? (2) Has the minister investigated the case of Sue Middleton-Duley and other pregnant mothers who have been told that they have to drive to Port Hedland to have their babies? (3) What will the minister say to Mrs Middleton-Duley, who claims that the minister has ignored her and is forcing her and other pregnant women to be shipped out of Karratha? (4) Will the minister apologise to Mrs Middleton-Duley and other pregnant women in Karratha? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) Normally, I would be reluctant to raise the details of a particular patient. However, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the issue, I will inform the house of some of the details. Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
(1) Does this not confirm that Chris O’Farrell is correct in saying that country health services are in a mess? (2) Has the minister investigated the case of Sue Middleton-Duley and other pregnant mothers who have been told that they have to drive to Port Hedland to have their babies? (3) What will the minister say to Mrs Middleton-Duley, who claims that the minister has ignored her and is forcing her and other pregnant women to be shipped out of Karratha? (4) Will the minister apologise to Mrs Middleton-Duley and other pregnant women in Karratha? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) Normally, I would be reluctant to raise the details of a particular patient. However, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the issue, I will inform the house of some of the details. Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
(2) Has the minister investigated the case of Sue Middleton-Duley and other pregnant mothers who have been told that they have to drive to Port Hedland to have their babies? (3) What will the minister say to Mrs Middleton-Duley, who claims that the minister has ignored her and is forcing her and other pregnant women to be shipped out of Karratha? (4) Will the minister apologise to Mrs Middleton-Duley and other pregnant women in Karratha? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) Normally, I would be reluctant to raise the details of a particular patient. However, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the issue, I will inform the house of some of the details. Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
(3) What will the minister say to Mrs Middleton-Duley, who claims that the minister has ignored her and is forcing her and other pregnant women to be shipped out of Karratha? (4) Will the minister apologise to Mrs Middleton-Duley and other pregnant women in Karratha? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) Normally, I would be reluctant to raise the details of a particular patient. However, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the issue, I will inform the house of some of the details. Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
(4) Will the minister apologise to Mrs Middleton-Duley and other pregnant women in Karratha? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) Normally, I would be reluctant to raise the details of a particular patient. However, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the issue, I will inform the house of some of the details. Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) Normally, I would be reluctant to raise the details of a particular patient. However, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the issue, I will inform the house of some of the details. Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
(1)-(4) Normally, I would be reluctant to raise the details of a particular patient. However, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the issue, I will inform the house of some of the details. Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Mr J.A. McGinty : Did I say that? Dr K.D. HAMES : That is what I read in the quote that came from the minister. However, in September those same women were promised four obstetric doctors on a fly in, fly out roster at Nickol Bay Hospital. (1) Does this not confirm that Chris O’Farrell is correct in saying that country health services are in a mess? (2) Has the minister investigated the case of Sue Middleton-Duley and other pregnant mothers who have been told that they have to drive to Port Hedland to have their babies? (3) What will the minister say to Mrs Middleton-Duley, who claims that the minister has ignored her and is forcing her and other pregnant women to be shipped out of Karratha? (4) Will the minister apologise to Mrs Middleton-Duley and other pregnant women in Karratha? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) Normally, I would be reluctant to raise the details of a particular patient. However, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the issue, I will inform the house of some of the details. Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Dr K.D. HAMES : That is what I read in the quote that came from the minister. However, in September those same women were promised four obstetric doctors on a fly in, fly out roster at Nickol Bay Hospital. (1) Does this not confirm that Chris O’Farrell is correct in saying that country health services are in a mess? (2) Has the minister investigated the case of Sue Middleton-Duley and other pregnant mothers who have been told that they have to drive to Port Hedland to have their babies? (3) What will the minister say to Mrs Middleton-Duley, who claims that the minister has ignored her and is forcing her and other pregnant women to be shipped out of Karratha? (4) Will the minister apologise to Mrs Middleton-Duley and other pregnant women in Karratha? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) Normally, I would be reluctant to raise the details of a particular patient. However, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the issue, I will inform the house of some of the details. Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
(1) Does this not confirm that Chris O’Farrell is correct in saying that country health services are in a mess? (2) Has the minister investigated the case of Sue Middleton-Duley and other pregnant mothers who have been told that they have to drive to Port Hedland to have their babies? (3) What will the minister say to Mrs Middleton-Duley, who claims that the minister has ignored her and is forcing her and other pregnant women to be shipped out of Karratha? (4) Will the minister apologise to Mrs Middleton-Duley and other pregnant women in Karratha? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) Normally, I would be reluctant to raise the details of a particular patient. However, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the issue, I will inform the house of some of the details. Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
(2) Has the minister investigated the case of Sue Middleton-Duley and other pregnant mothers who have been told that they have to drive to Port Hedland to have their babies? (3) What will the minister say to Mrs Middleton-Duley, who claims that the minister has ignored her and is forcing her and other pregnant women to be shipped out of Karratha? (4) Will the minister apologise to Mrs Middleton-Duley and other pregnant women in Karratha? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) Normally, I would be reluctant to raise the details of a particular patient. However, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the issue, I will inform the house of some of the details. Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
(3) What will the minister say to Mrs Middleton-Duley, who claims that the minister has ignored her and is forcing her and other pregnant women to be shipped out of Karratha? (4) Will the minister apologise to Mrs Middleton-Duley and other pregnant women in Karratha? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) Normally, I would be reluctant to raise the details of a particular patient. However, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the issue, I will inform the house of some of the details. Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
(4) Will the minister apologise to Mrs Middleton-Duley and other pregnant women in Karratha? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) Normally, I would be reluctant to raise the details of a particular patient. However, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the issue, I will inform the house of some of the details. Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: (1)-(4) Normally, I would be reluctant to raise the details of a particular patient. However, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the issue, I will inform the house of some of the details. Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
(1)-(4) Normally, I would be reluctant to raise the details of a particular patient. However, as the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the issue, I will inform the house of some of the details. Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Dr K.D. Hames : She has been to the media. Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : As the Deputy Leader of the Opposition has raised the matter in this house, I will provide the details of which I am aware. Mrs Middleton was assessed, based on the information provided by her general practitioner, as having a body mass index sufficient to put her into the dangerous category when it came to delivery. For that reason she was advised, based on the information provided by her GP, that because of her weight—being overweight—she would need to be referred to a safer place to deliver her baby. Port Hedland is the regional resource centre for the Pilbara and she was told that she would need to have her baby at Port Hedland to ensure the safe delivery of the baby. When the matter was further investigated at the instigation of Mrs Middleton, it was found that the information about her height that was provided by her GP was incorrect. Therefore, the calculation of her body mass index—I think I might have used the wrong phrase before, but the question of her being overweight—was incorrectly calculated and, therefore, she was subjected to a further review. The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
The baby that Mrs Middleton is carrying is a very large baby, which again raises questions about the safety of the procedure to be conducted at the Nickol Bay Hospital, because it is thought that there might be symptoms of issues involved with the baby she is carrying. For that reason, it has been organised for her to have another ultrasound this Friday and another obstetric consultation next Monday with one question in mind; that is, is it safe to deliver that baby at Karratha or would it be better to go to the regional resource centre at Port Hedland to deliver that baby? Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Dr K.D. Hames interjected. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : I want to finish this because it is important that the facts are on the record. That review by the obstetricians on Monday will determine solely the question of whether it is safe to have the baby at Karratha. If not, she will travel to Port Hedland to have her baby. I will not stand by and allow unsafe practices at any of our hospitals. If it is clinically assessed that it is unsafe for Mrs Middleton to have her baby at Karratha, it will be suggested to her that it is better for her to go to Port Hedland. Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Dr K.D. Hames : She is not the only one being sent away. Others, often at less risk, are being sent away. Have the additional obstetricians arrived? Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : These clinical decisions are made by the doctors at these hospitals and they determine whether it would be safe for them to deliver these women. I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
I will stand corrected on this, but I am told that in the order of two to three babies a month cannot be delivered at Karratha for safety reasons. I understand that approximately 250 babies are delivered at Karratha each year. If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
If I had been given some notice of the question, I would have been able to give a more detailed response. I assure the member that it is solely a question of the safety of the mother and baby that these decisions are made by the local clinicians. Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Dr K.D. Hames : It is fine if they are just GPs. You promised four fly in, fly out obstetricians in a Department of Health press released in September. Have those four obstetricians arrived? Surely, if they are there, they could easily manage to look after women who are high risk. Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : The member can criticise the clinicians for their clinical judgements if he wants to. I will not do that. Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Dr K.D. Hames : Are those obstetricians at Karratha. Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : How would the Deputy Leader of the Opposition expect me to know the intimate details of where the 37 000 people employed by the health department are at any one time? There are obstetricians at Nickol Bay Hospital. If the Deputy Leader of the Opposition wanted more detailed information than that, he should have given me some notice of his question. The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
The decision will be made by the obstetricians employed at the hospital about whether it is safe to deliver Mrs Middleton’s baby. If it is not, the baby will not be delivered at Nickol Bay Hospital.
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