Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now joining me on the line is Jessica McCluskey. Good
morning to.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
You, Jess, Hi Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Lovely to have you on the show. Jess, you'd been
planning to have baby number two at Darwin Private Hospital.
How do you feel knowing that you're no longer going
to be able to do that?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
If you could name all of the negative emotions that
you should possibly feel, I reckon, I've been through all
of them at this point.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
So talk me through your journey so far. You're twenty
five weeks pregnant, so obviously you miss that cut off
date by a few weeks I'm assuming.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yeah, for the last admission will be on the thirtieth
of May, so the end of this month, and I'm
due in mid August, so hopefully if the NT government
pulls their finger out, be able to take advantage of
the options that are supposed to be available. Yeah, but
(00:57):
at this stage it's looking like just the public birth
and that's about it.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Now, what are you being told by your private health
insurer at the moment? Because the Northern Territory government had
announced a few weeks back this luxury post natal maternity retreat,
it seems like that may now be up in the air.
Based on some comments to the Northern Territory News yesterday
by the head of the AMA, doctor Robert Parker, there's
(01:23):
also this returning Home Sooner package, like what are you
being told right now?
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Well, from my health insurer, not a lot. They sent
out a letter I think it was back in February
or March. It might have been an email actually, just
stating that they were working with the antique government to
find alternative solutions. But yeah, but it's been a bit
radio silence from them as well. Most of the information
(01:54):
we're getting from other mums who were finding out information themselves,
or from our obstetrician or from our healthcare teams. So yeah,
we aren't really getting any information directly from the government,
even people asking for it, you know, sending emails, calling
I think people even saying they go into the local members'
(02:16):
offices try getting any information.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
All right, Well we are look, we are due to
have the Health Minister on tomorrow, so I want to
try and get to the bottom of exactly what is
going to be available for expectant Territory mums. But Jess,
I mean, what are the biggest concerns for you at
the moment, you know, while you are twenty five weeks
pregnant and having this uncertainty.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Yeah, look, obviously not knowing what's going to happen, hearing
about the unsafe sort of birth happening at at the
public hospital. I know that she wasn't able to confirm
just now about the two hospital corridor births that happened
(03:02):
a couple of weeks ago. But I think, you know,
the biggest concern is that we've got anti government saying
that everything's safe, everything's fine, nothing to see here, and
yet we're still hearing about these things. And it isn't
just like like you've just mentioned. It isn't just about
the birth. It's about women not being able to receive
any kind of care in the lead up to their
(03:24):
births as well. I'm very fortunate that I'm still going
to have my private obstetrition to see me through till
till the birth. But I saw a comment yesterday on
a news article where a poor month said that she's
in her last month of pregnancy, due to give birth
(03:47):
next week, and she hasn't been able to get an
appointment with a midwife or an obstetrician because they're too full.
So she's in her last week where she needs to
have you know, probably weekly or at least two weekly,
you know, and she can't get an appointment.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
And that's here in the Northern Territory. That's as a
result of what's going on.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Well, that's what's happening right now. I mean, that's not
even with the impact of the private patients coming over,
and like Cap just mentioned, even with as chief or fees,
even with the midwife coming over, that they still won't
have enough staff. They'll need to have more obstetricians than
(04:26):
we're hearing that we're losing one of our private obstetricians
and the other one we're not sure what she's what
decision she's going to make. So we're losing people, we're
not gaining them.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Yeah, which again is a real worry. Now, tell me, Jess,
I understand that you had a specific plan in mind
before you even feel pregnant. This is your second bub.
I'm assuming that you maybe wanted to go down a
similar path to what you know, what you did with
your first.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Yeah, well, so the first time round, we were underscibed,
is what we wanted to do. We got to twenty
weeks through the public hospital, and we just weren't getting
you know, weren't able to see the same the same
provider that we were seeing, different people, getting different information
at every appointment, and ultimately, I just wanted to have
(05:18):
that continuity of care. So yeah, we switched to private.
I was lucky to get a late referral because you know,
it's hard to get into them, and and loved the experience.
And then, you know, this time around, we were really excited.
We knew what we were going to do. We talked
about it before we even started trying for this baby,
and then we got our referral to the private hospital,
(05:41):
met with my obstetrician, and maybe a week or two later,
the closure was announced. So everything sort of thrown into turmoil.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
So what is your plan now?
Speaker 2 (05:54):
We're still sort of trying to decide what to do.
We we have we had us, say, decided that we
were going to stay at the private hospital with the
private obstetrician. I should stay and deliver a public birth,
but we're not really sure just now whether we are
(06:14):
going to continue that option. Just with the announcement of
those four way births, I think if we continue to
hear that we will probably make the last minute decision
to go into state because yeah, I honestly I don't
have any interest in I've been through labor once and
I don't want to do that.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
No fair enough, and do you know what it comes
down to having choices? And I get you know, I
know some people listening might be thinking, oh, you know,
women in Publa, New Guinea or other places you know
have babies in fields, and I get that. I totally
understand that. But we are women living in a capital
city of Australia. You've paid your private health insurance, you
want to have that option, and you've actually paid to
(06:56):
have that option. So the fact that it's being taken away,
I know is upsetting, incredibly upsetting to expectant mums, but
also to women looking at having children and planning to
have children.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yeah, yeah, it is. It's quite frustrating.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Tell me what I mean, what is your message for
the Northern Territory government this morning.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
I think when we listen to the Chief Minister speak yesterday,
she made it very clear and the Health Minister has
also made it clear that nobody's requested any federal funding
to assist m The Chief Minister said that a federal
government funding request is a band aid solution, So I
(07:42):
guess I ask instead, are the anti government just going
to let us lead? Are we not coming up with
any other alternatives? And look, I know we have some
alternatives on the table, but we're hearing that half of
those options were getting you know, different advice. But we're
hearing that those options are coming off the table going
(08:02):
on the table. You know, we're not really sure what's happening,
and we just want to know why why are we
not asking for this funding and why are we not
trying to use that to implement the alternative care options?
Or why did we not try and use the funds
to support Healscope through a period of time while the
proper alternative arrangements were put in place.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Well, I think that they're all very reasonable questions. I mean,
it is something that the federal member Luke Gosling had
said yesterday as well, that there hasn't been a request
from the Northern Territory government. So look, I as I said,
I'm going to be catching up with the Health Minister tomorrow,
so we will certainly put that to him. Jess, I
really appreciate you having a chat with us this morning.
(08:46):
Please keep me keep us updated as to how things
are going as well, and if you do get any
sort of information from the government, because I know that
other women that listen to the show, if they're not
getting that information, I'd like to at least be able
to try my best to keep them up to date
with what's going on.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Thanks Katy. And also when you're having a chat to
the Health Minister, I'd be really interested to know whether
the decision to not ask for the funds had anything
to do with the upcoming election.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Yeah, somebody else has just sent me some information on that,
so I will talk further about that this morning, and
we will we will certainly ask the Health Minister, Steve
Edgington about that. Jessica McCluskey, I really appreciate your time
this morning. Thanks so much for joining me on the show.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Thanks Katie, thank you,
Now joining me on the line is Jessica McCluskey. Good
morning to.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
You, Jess, Hi Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
Lovely to have you on the show. Jess, you'd been
planning to have baby number two at Darwin Private Hospital.
How do you feel knowing that you're no longer going
to be able to do that?
Speaker 2 (00:20):
If you could name all of the negative emotions that
you should possibly feel, I reckon, I've been through all
of them at this point.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
So talk me through your journey so far. You're twenty
five weeks pregnant, so obviously you miss that cut off
date by a few weeks I'm assuming.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Yeah, for the last admission will be on the thirtieth
of May, so the end of this month, and I'm
due in mid August, so hopefully if the NT government
pulls their finger out, be able to take advantage of
the options that are supposed to be available. Yeah, but
(00:57):
at this stage it's looking like just the public birth
and that's about it.
Speaker 1 (01:02):
Now, what are you being told by your private health
insurer at the moment? Because the Northern Territory government had
announced a few weeks back this luxury post natal maternity retreat,
it seems like that may now be up in the air.
Based on some comments to the Northern Territory News yesterday
by the head of the AMA, doctor Robert Parker, there's
(01:23):
also this returning Home Sooner package, like what are you
being told right now?
Speaker 2 (01:30):
Well, from my health insurer, not a lot. They sent
out a letter I think it was back in February
or March. It might have been an email actually, just
stating that they were working with the antique government to
find alternative solutions. But yeah, but it's been a bit
radio silence from them as well. Most of the information
(01:54):
we're getting from other mums who were finding out information themselves,
or from our obstetrician or from our healthcare teams. So yeah,
we aren't really getting any information directly from the government,
even people asking for it, you know, sending emails, calling
I think people even saying they go into the local members'
(02:16):
offices try getting any information.
Speaker 1 (02:19):
All right, Well we are look, we are due to
have the Health Minister on tomorrow, so I want to
try and get to the bottom of exactly what is
going to be available for expectant Territory mums. But Jess,
I mean, what are the biggest concerns for you at
the moment, you know, while you are twenty five weeks
pregnant and having this uncertainty.
Speaker 2 (02:39):
Yeah, look, obviously not knowing what's going to happen, hearing
about the unsafe sort of birth happening at at the
public hospital. I know that she wasn't able to confirm
just now about the two hospital corridor births that happened
(03:02):
a couple of weeks ago. But I think, you know,
the biggest concern is that we've got anti government saying
that everything's safe, everything's fine, nothing to see here, and
yet we're still hearing about these things. And it isn't
just like like you've just mentioned. It isn't just about
the birth. It's about women not being able to receive
any kind of care in the lead up to their
(03:24):
births as well. I'm very fortunate that I'm still going
to have my private obstetrition to see me through till
till the birth. But I saw a comment yesterday on
a news article where a poor month said that she's
in her last month of pregnancy, due to give birth
(03:47):
next week, and she hasn't been able to get an
appointment with a midwife or an obstetrician because they're too full.
So she's in her last week where she needs to
have you know, probably weekly or at least two weekly,
you know, and she can't get an appointment.
Speaker 1 (04:02):
And that's here in the Northern Territory. That's as a
result of what's going on.
Speaker 2 (04:06):
Well, that's what's happening right now. I mean, that's not
even with the impact of the private patients coming over,
and like Cap just mentioned, even with as chief or fees,
even with the midwife coming over, that they still won't
have enough staff. They'll need to have more obstetricians than
(04:26):
we're hearing that we're losing one of our private obstetricians
and the other one we're not sure what she's what
decision she's going to make. So we're losing people, we're
not gaining them.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
Yeah, which again is a real worry. Now, tell me, Jess,
I understand that you had a specific plan in mind
before you even feel pregnant. This is your second bub.
I'm assuming that you maybe wanted to go down a
similar path to what you know, what you did with
your first.
Speaker 2 (04:54):
Yeah, well, so the first time round, we were underscibed,
is what we wanted to do. We got to twenty
weeks through the public hospital, and we just weren't getting
you know, weren't able to see the same the same
provider that we were seeing, different people, getting different information
at every appointment, and ultimately, I just wanted to have
(05:18):
that continuity of care. So yeah, we switched to private.
I was lucky to get a late referral because you know,
it's hard to get into them, and and loved the experience.
And then, you know, this time around, we were really excited.
We knew what we were going to do. We talked
about it before we even started trying for this baby,
and then we got our referral to the private hospital,
(05:41):
met with my obstetrician, and maybe a week or two later,
the closure was announced. So everything sort of thrown into turmoil.
Speaker 1 (05:49):
So what is your plan now?
Speaker 2 (05:54):
We're still sort of trying to decide what to do.
We we have we had us, say, decided that we
were going to stay at the private hospital with the
private obstetrician. I should stay and deliver a public birth,
but we're not really sure just now whether we are
(06:14):
going to continue that option. Just with the announcement of
those four way births, I think if we continue to
hear that we will probably make the last minute decision
to go into state because yeah, I honestly I don't
have any interest in I've been through labor once and
I don't want to do that.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
No fair enough, and do you know what it comes
down to having choices? And I get you know, I
know some people listening might be thinking, oh, you know,
women in Publa, New Guinea or other places you know
have babies in fields, and I get that. I totally
understand that. But we are women living in a capital
city of Australia. You've paid your private health insurance, you
want to have that option, and you've actually paid to
(06:56):
have that option. So the fact that it's being taken away,
I know is upsetting, incredibly upsetting to expectant mums, but
also to women looking at having children and planning to
have children.
Speaker 2 (07:10):
Yeah, yeah, it is. It's quite frustrating.
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Tell me what I mean, what is your message for
the Northern Territory government this morning.
Speaker 2 (07:20):
I think when we listen to the Chief Minister speak yesterday,
she made it very clear and the Health Minister has
also made it clear that nobody's requested any federal funding
to assist m The Chief Minister said that a federal
government funding request is a band aid solution, So I
(07:42):
guess I ask instead, are the anti government just going
to let us lead? Are we not coming up with
any other alternatives? And look, I know we have some
alternatives on the table, but we're hearing that half of
those options were getting you know, different advice. But we're
hearing that those options are coming off the table going
(08:02):
on the table. You know, we're not really sure what's happening,
and we just want to know why why are we
not asking for this funding and why are we not
trying to use that to implement the alternative care options?
Or why did we not try and use the funds
to support Healscope through a period of time while the
proper alternative arrangements were put in place.
Speaker 1 (08:25):
Well, I think that they're all very reasonable questions. I mean,
it is something that the federal member Luke Gosling had
said yesterday as well, that there hasn't been a request
from the Northern Territory government. So look, I as I said,
I'm going to be catching up with the Health Minister tomorrow,
so we will certainly put that to him. Jess, I
really appreciate you having a chat with us this morning.
(08:46):
Please keep me keep us updated as to how things
are going as well, and if you do get any
sort of information from the government, because I know that
other women that listen to the show, if they're not
getting that information, I'd like to at least be able
to try my best to keep them up to date
with what's going on.
Speaker 2 (09:03):
Thanks Katy. And also when you're having a chat to
the Health Minister, I'd be really interested to know whether
the decision to not ask for the funds had anything
to do with the upcoming election.
Speaker 1 (09:15):
Yeah, somebody else has just sent me some information on that,
so I will talk further about that this morning, and
we will we will certainly ask the Health Minister, Steve
Edgington about that. Jessica McCluskey, I really appreciate your time
this morning. Thanks so much for joining me on the show.
Speaker 2 (09:30):
Thanks Katie, thank you,
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