Labor has moved to establish a much-needed Parliamentary Inquiry into Reproductive, Maternal and Paediatric Health and Perinatal Mental Health.
Over the past 12 months, Labor has been consulting and advocating on behalf of families and health care workers after hearing alarming stories about experiences and access to maternity and child health services across the state.
All Tasmanians deserve to have access to safe reproductive, maternal and paediatric health services and perinatal mental health services.
Unfortunately, after 10 years of a Liberal Government there are a broad range of issues across these services in Tasmania, which is why we’ve moved to establish a broad reaching inquiry.
The Rockliff Government has been slow to act to provide adequate support to families, none more so than on the North-West Coast where maternity services were deemed unsafe by the Australian Medical Association, and with the closure of the mother baby unit in Hobart.
The inquiry would see a committee appointed to report on and assess the adequacy, accessibility and safety of a range of services including reproductive health, maternal health services, perinatal mental health services, paediatric services for children aged under five and the Child Health and Parenting Service.
It will also explore workforce shortages and make recommendations on actions that the state government can take to meet the needs of Tasmanians including parents and children.
The wording of the Notice of Motion tabled by Anita Dow
A select committee be appointed with the power to send for persons, papers and records to inquire into, consider and report on reproductive, maternal and paediatric health and perinatal mental health services in Tasmania, with the following terms of reference:
- to assess the adequacy, accessibility and safety of the following services for Tasmanian parents and their children in relation to:
- reproductive health services;
- maternal health services;
- birth trauma;
- workforce shortages;
- midwife professional Indemnity Insurance;
- perinatal mental health services;
- paediatric services for children aged 0-5 years;
- the Child Health and Parenting Service (CHaPS).
- to examine disparities in the availability of services, staffing and outcomes between:
- Tasmania and other Australian states and territories;
- Tasmanians living in rural, regional and metropolitan areas;
- Tasmanians experiencing socio-economic disadvantage; and
- to make recommendations on actions that can be taken by the State Government to ensure reproductive, maternal and paediatric health and perinatal mental health services meet the needs of Tasmanian parents, families and children.
Rebecca White MP
Labor Leader
Anita Dow MP
Shadow Minister for Health, Mental Health and Wellbeing
