A review into maternity services at the Royal Hobart Hospital has painted a grim picture of staff shortfalls, recruitment blowouts and inadequate training. The review was sparked by concerns from the nursing union, aired last year, and a sweeping package of reform has been recommended.
Category
📺
TVTranscript
00:00Allegations of failing to properly care for mothers and babies have put the Royal Hobart
00:08Hospital under the microscope.
00:11Now a pathway is being laid out for improvement.
00:15We recognise that for many of these women we've fallen short of what can reasonably
00:19expected of our health services and we should be held to high standards of maternity care
00:26and we are committed to doing better.
00:28In August last year, a review into the Royal Hobart Hospital's maternity service was called.
00:34It followed union claims of severe staffing shortages and one allegation that the delayed
00:40induction of labour led to a stillbirth.
00:43The panel were unable to find a connection between any stillbirths or near-natal deaths
00:51that may have been related to an induction of labour.
00:54But the report, released today, shows the panel heard inductions were regularly delayed
01:00due to staff shortages, often leading to considerable distress.
01:05One woman saying, they couldn't do my booked induction until 2.45am the next morning because
01:11the midwife said she didn't know how equipped she was to do it, but the very next day she
01:16was able to do one for someone in the bed next to me.
01:20The panel also heard of shortfalls in training amongst early career staff, recruitment delays
01:26and leadership styles that weren't inclusive.
01:29There's 38 recommendations to address the workforce shortage, boost training and ensure
01:36all stillbirths are reviewed.
01:38The department's now standing up a committee to oversee the implementation of the recommendations.
01:44Safe staffing level is a bare minimum, but also the foundation upon which those other
01:50recommendations need to be implemented because without safe staffing it's unlikely that success
01:57in the other recommendations will be able to be achieved.
02:00Action needed to ensure no women fall through the cracks.