Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now, we've spoken quite a lot in recent weeks and
months about maternity services across the Northern Territory and well
a group of ladies who've been advocating after the private
maternity ward closure. They're set to whole a session for
women and families to go to and to speak about
their experiences and their concerns. Now joining us on the
line to tell us more is Tessa Sislowsky. Good morning
(00:22):
to you, Tessa. I seem to be having an issue
there with the phone line. Hopefully I'm able to get
her back, Tessa. Let's try again. Hopefully I've got you.
Good morning, Tessa. Hopefully I've got Tessa. Good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
I can hear you now, Sorry, Tessa, not too sure
what was going on with the phone line there. Now.
You and I have spoken on the show previously about
your birthing experience at Royal Darwin Hospital after well not
being able to give birth at the private hospital as
you'd planned, and the experience has a been a smooth
one in your case, all for quite a few other
(01:03):
women by the sounds of things. What have you what's
been organized for this weekend and how's it come about?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
So Katie. As you know, there's a group of us
that we started as mums who were in the private
system and moved into the public system after the closure
was announced, and we've actually expanded now so we've got
some other mums who are been through the RDH public
system through the home birth program, so we've got a
few more in our group, which is wonderful. But what
(01:33):
we're really trying to do is advocate for improvements to
be made to maternity services in Darwin and the Northern Territory.
And to be able to really do that effectively, we
need to have a really comprehensive cross section of the
community so we can get everybody's use and experiences and things.
So we've organized a community forum on Saturday for women
(01:56):
and families to come along and for healthcare workers to
come along and share their experiences, hopefully both good and bad,
as well as their sort of ideas and thoughts about
how we can improve maternity services moving forward.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
And how do you hope that you know, by women
and families sharing those experiences, but also potentially you know,
some of those healthcare professionals, how do you hope that
it might sort of enact some change.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Well, what we're hoping to do, Katie, is this first
forum is intended to be sort of a closed session,
so we've not invited media or politicians along on Saturday
because we'd like people to come along and be able
to speak really freely and without concern about their details
potentially being published or if they're within the health profession,
(02:47):
facing some sort of reprisal for speaking up and speaking out.
But from that session, we hope to formulate some really
key points that we can go back to government with
about what changes we would like to and we're hoping
to have a further session which will will invite the
Health Minister and other politicians and key people within nt
(03:08):
Health as well as the media to try and get
some traction. And what we're hoping is that if we've
got a really broad cross section and lots of different experiences,
that the government might actually listen to what the community
is asking for in terms of change, because up until
now we're not having great success in driving change and
(03:29):
we really want those improvements to be felt for women
across the territory.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Well, the thing is the issue is not going away.
And you know, as much as the government as ministers
might like to think that it may. It's not going
to go away until women feel as though they're able
to get the care that you know, that they expect.
And I mean even for yourself, you know, going through
the process that you did where you're sort of being
(03:54):
examined in labor, you know, in a tea room at
the hospital, is not something women expect.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
And that's right, Katie, and I think you've hit the
nail on the head. The issue is not going away.
It's continuing to be talked about within the mums and
mum's community, within the healthcare community, obviously within the media,
thanks to yourself and other people who are continuing to
give this issue some airtime. And I think until the
government actually acknowledges that there is a problem here, it
(04:26):
is something that needs to be addressed, and continuing to
run the line of oh, well, if we get some
money from the federal government, we'll be able to do something.
But until then we're stuck with what we've got. It
just isn't good enough. It's not being accepted by the community.
Women want to see improvements that are you know, immediate.
We also understand, of course that there are limitations on
(04:49):
the resources, so the things that we're hoping to be
able to put forward after this forum. Aren't just things
that are really significant. I mean, one of the biggest
changes that we're and would like to see and there's
a instagram a group called birth stories NT run by
a local mum, and she surveyed mums about what their
(05:10):
changes were. One of those was for partners to be
able to stay after birth, and we know that at
the moment the facilities at RDH don't allow that, and
that's probably a fairly drastic change that needs to happen,
and that's something we can look at down the line.
But one of the other changes that women really wanted
was continuity of care, and that is something that can
(05:30):
be addressed in the shorter term. We've heard about the
changes to the MGP program. There's some concerns about changes
potential changes to the home birth program and staffing around that,
and that is something that in my view is within
the government's control. It's something that they can look at now.
They don't need to wait for funding from the federal
(05:51):
government to make those change.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
The other thing that had been suggested to me another
time I reckon it was last time you and I spoke,
is you know, whether maternity services could actually some of
those maternity services might be able to be placed at
the Palmerston Regional Hospital. I don't know whether there's space
out there or whether that is an option, but I
guess what women and what families are after at this
point is for everything to sort of be on the table.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
That's right, Katie, And that's what we're hoping to sort
of generate out of this forum, apart from obviously hearing
women's stories and experiences, is let's put all of the
all of the options on the table and then get
some response from government about whether they are valid options
that can be considered right now. If not, why not.
I mean we've spoken about the birth center and the
(06:36):
fact that that's being limited used in a really limited
capacity at the moment, and I believe there are some
potential changes on foot for that which will hopefully mean
that it can be used more regularly at RDH four
births as opposed to for childbirth education classes and things,
which I think is what it's mainly being useful. Now
(06:58):
we know that Parmeerson Hospital was constructed with a maternity
suite or at least berthing sweet whether there is an
option to stand that up at some point in the future,
whether there is an option for a true private in
public model at RDIH. We know our last obstetrician private
(07:20):
obstetrician is finishing up in January, but there might be
you know, there might be options for other private obstetricians,
or maybe she can be convinced to stay on. But
that's only going to happen if there is this consideration
to a really true private in public model, not the
kind of stopgap measure that's been put in place at
(07:40):
the moment following the closure of DPH.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Tessa before I let you go, I mean, you touched
on this before you said that. Obviously the Northern Territory
government is saying that funding is provided by the federal government.
You know, they've gone to the federal government as requesting
more money. I know, or I certainly thought that you
would do. Some of you ladies were going to be
catching up with Luke God's did you get much sort
of information or much traction with the federal member for
(08:06):
Solomon So.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
We spoke to Luke in I think it was either
late July or early August, and the months of blurring
into one with a newborn Katie, and he indicated that
he had followed up with the Health Minister, the Federal
Health Minister and those discussions were continuing between the Federal
Health Department and the Northern Territory Health Department. But I
(08:29):
haven't haven't heard anything further, and certainly it's something that
we can we will continue to follow up. We know
the wheels of bureau bureaucracy and turn very slowly, but
I think it's got to a point now where women
are to be frank sick of sick of this being
a political football and hearing you know, it's the territory's problem,
(08:49):
it's the federal government's problem. We just want some action
and some change and the or of the politicians federal
and territory need who you really address the issue, realize
that it's not going away, and work out how we
can improve services for the Darwen and Northern Territory women.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
I agree with you, it's above political party lines. It's like,
this is about the Northern Territory. It's about growing the
Northern Territory as well and keeping people here. And you
know you're not going to do that if you're singing
mud at each other. They've got to work together on this, Tessa,
Before I let you go, is the where is this
forum happening on the weekend? And to any mums with
(09:32):
their bubs or maybe that are pregnant, or any families
that are expecting, how can they be involved?
Speaker 2 (09:38):
So it's happening on Saturday, Katie, at twelve pm at
Raised Cafe in Darwin City, so that's at sixty six
Smith Street. Mums are welcome to come along. Extended family
are welcome to come along. Please feel free to bring
babies and children. Obviously we'll probably all have our little
ones there. And also to healthcare workers, we really them
(10:00):
to come along as well, and the broader community. To
be honest, it is really a community issue, Katie, and
she said we're trying to grow the population. I know
as a small business owner how hard it is to
get good quality staff and attract people from interstate, and
given the state of our maternity services, I think young
families and people who are looking at having children will
(10:23):
really be questioning whether a move to Darwan if that's
for them and for their family.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Well, Tessa, as always I appreciate your time. I reckon
we'll need to catch up next week as well. So
I can find out a little bit more about what
people tell you at the forum on the weekend. So
thank you so much for having a chat with us
while juggling your baby.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Thank you very much, Petie, thank you
Now, we've spoken quite a lot in recent weeks and
months about maternity services across the Northern Territory and well
a group of ladies who've been advocating after the private
maternity ward closure. They're set to whole a session for
women and families to go to and to speak about
their experiences and their concerns. Now joining us on the
line to tell us more is Tessa Sislowsky. Good morning
(00:22):
to you, Tessa. I seem to be having an issue
there with the phone line. Hopefully I'm able to get
her back, Tessa. Let's try again. Hopefully I've got you.
Good morning, Tessa. Hopefully I've got Tessa. Good morning to you.
Speaker 2 (00:40):
Morning Katie.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
I can hear you now, Sorry, Tessa, not too sure
what was going on with the phone line there. Now.
You and I have spoken on the show previously about
your birthing experience at Royal Darwin Hospital after well not
being able to give birth at the private hospital as
you'd planned, and the experience has a been a smooth
one in your case, all for quite a few other
(01:03):
women by the sounds of things. What have you what's
been organized for this weekend and how's it come about?
Speaker 2 (01:10):
So Katie. As you know, there's a group of us
that we started as mums who were in the private
system and moved into the public system after the closure
was announced, and we've actually expanded now so we've got
some other mums who are been through the RDH public
system through the home birth program, so we've got a
few more in our group, which is wonderful. But what
(01:33):
we're really trying to do is advocate for improvements to
be made to maternity services in Darwin and the Northern Territory.
And to be able to really do that effectively, we
need to have a really comprehensive cross section of the
community so we can get everybody's use and experiences and things.
So we've organized a community forum on Saturday for women
(01:56):
and families to come along and for healthcare workers to
come along and share their experiences, hopefully both good and bad,
as well as their sort of ideas and thoughts about
how we can improve maternity services moving forward.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
And how do you hope that you know, by women
and families sharing those experiences, but also potentially you know,
some of those healthcare professionals, how do you hope that
it might sort of enact some change.
Speaker 2 (02:26):
Well, what we're hoping to do, Katie, is this first
forum is intended to be sort of a closed session,
so we've not invited media or politicians along on Saturday
because we'd like people to come along and be able
to speak really freely and without concern about their details
potentially being published or if they're within the health profession,
(02:47):
facing some sort of reprisal for speaking up and speaking out.
But from that session, we hope to formulate some really
key points that we can go back to government with
about what changes we would like to and we're hoping
to have a further session which will will invite the
Health Minister and other politicians and key people within nt
(03:08):
Health as well as the media to try and get
some traction. And what we're hoping is that if we've
got a really broad cross section and lots of different experiences,
that the government might actually listen to what the community
is asking for in terms of change, because up until
now we're not having great success in driving change and
(03:29):
we really want those improvements to be felt for women
across the territory.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Well, the thing is the issue is not going away.
And you know, as much as the government as ministers
might like to think that it may. It's not going
to go away until women feel as though they're able
to get the care that you know, that they expect.
And I mean even for yourself, you know, going through
the process that you did where you're sort of being
(03:54):
examined in labor, you know, in a tea room at
the hospital, is not something women expect.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
And that's right, Katie, and I think you've hit the
nail on the head. The issue is not going away.
It's continuing to be talked about within the mums and
mum's community, within the healthcare community, obviously within the media,
thanks to yourself and other people who are continuing to
give this issue some airtime. And I think until the
government actually acknowledges that there is a problem here, it
(04:26):
is something that needs to be addressed, and continuing to
run the line of oh, well, if we get some
money from the federal government, we'll be able to do something.
But until then we're stuck with what we've got. It
just isn't good enough. It's not being accepted by the community.
Women want to see improvements that are you know, immediate.
We also understand, of course that there are limitations on
(04:49):
the resources, so the things that we're hoping to be
able to put forward after this forum. Aren't just things
that are really significant. I mean, one of the biggest
changes that we're and would like to see and there's
a instagram a group called birth stories NT run by
a local mum, and she surveyed mums about what their
(05:10):
changes were. One of those was for partners to be
able to stay after birth, and we know that at
the moment the facilities at RDH don't allow that, and
that's probably a fairly drastic change that needs to happen,
and that's something we can look at down the line.
But one of the other changes that women really wanted
was continuity of care, and that is something that can
(05:30):
be addressed in the shorter term. We've heard about the
changes to the MGP program. There's some concerns about changes
potential changes to the home birth program and staffing around that,
and that is something that in my view is within
the government's control. It's something that they can look at now.
They don't need to wait for funding from the federal
(05:51):
government to make those change.
Speaker 1 (05:53):
The other thing that had been suggested to me another
time I reckon it was last time you and I spoke,
is you know, whether maternity services could actually some of
those maternity services might be able to be placed at
the Palmerston Regional Hospital. I don't know whether there's space
out there or whether that is an option, but I
guess what women and what families are after at this
point is for everything to sort of be on the table.
Speaker 2 (06:15):
That's right, Katie, And that's what we're hoping to sort
of generate out of this forum, apart from obviously hearing
women's stories and experiences, is let's put all of the
all of the options on the table and then get
some response from government about whether they are valid options
that can be considered right now. If not, why not.
I mean we've spoken about the birth center and the
(06:36):
fact that that's being limited used in a really limited
capacity at the moment, and I believe there are some
potential changes on foot for that which will hopefully mean
that it can be used more regularly at RDH four
births as opposed to for childbirth education classes and things,
which I think is what it's mainly being useful. Now
(06:58):
we know that Parmeerson Hospital was constructed with a maternity
suite or at least berthing sweet whether there is an
option to stand that up at some point in the future,
whether there is an option for a true private in
public model at RDIH. We know our last obstetrician private
(07:20):
obstetrician is finishing up in January, but there might be
you know, there might be options for other private obstetricians,
or maybe she can be convinced to stay on. But
that's only going to happen if there is this consideration
to a really true private in public model, not the
kind of stopgap measure that's been put in place at
(07:40):
the moment following the closure of DPH.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Tessa before I let you go, I mean, you touched
on this before you said that. Obviously the Northern Territory
government is saying that funding is provided by the federal government.
You know, they've gone to the federal government as requesting
more money. I know, or I certainly thought that you
would do. Some of you ladies were going to be
catching up with Luke God's did you get much sort
of information or much traction with the federal member for
(08:06):
Solomon So.
Speaker 2 (08:08):
We spoke to Luke in I think it was either
late July or early August, and the months of blurring
into one with a newborn Katie, and he indicated that
he had followed up with the Health Minister, the Federal
Health Minister and those discussions were continuing between the Federal
Health Department and the Northern Territory Health Department. But I
(08:29):
haven't haven't heard anything further, and certainly it's something that
we can we will continue to follow up. We know
the wheels of bureau bureaucracy and turn very slowly, but
I think it's got to a point now where women
are to be frank sick of sick of this being
a political football and hearing you know, it's the territory's problem,
(08:49):
it's the federal government's problem. We just want some action
and some change and the or of the politicians federal
and territory need who you really address the issue, realize
that it's not going away, and work out how we
can improve services for the Darwen and Northern Territory women.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
I agree with you, it's above political party lines. It's like,
this is about the Northern Territory. It's about growing the
Northern Territory as well and keeping people here. And you
know you're not going to do that if you're singing
mud at each other. They've got to work together on this, Tessa,
Before I let you go, is the where is this
forum happening on the weekend? And to any mums with
(09:32):
their bubs or maybe that are pregnant, or any families
that are expecting, how can they be involved?
Speaker 2 (09:38):
So it's happening on Saturday, Katie, at twelve pm at
Raised Cafe in Darwin City, so that's at sixty six
Smith Street. Mums are welcome to come along. Extended family
are welcome to come along. Please feel free to bring
babies and children. Obviously we'll probably all have our little
ones there. And also to healthcare workers, we really them
(10:00):
to come along as well, and the broader community. To
be honest, it is really a community issue, Katie, and
she said we're trying to grow the population. I know
as a small business owner how hard it is to
get good quality staff and attract people from interstate, and
given the state of our maternity services, I think young
families and people who are looking at having children will
(10:23):
really be questioning whether a move to Darwan if that's
for them and for their family.
Speaker 1 (10:28):
Well, Tessa, as always I appreciate your time. I reckon
we'll need to catch up next week as well. So
I can find out a little bit more about what
people tell you at the forum on the weekend. So
thank you so much for having a chat with us
while juggling your baby.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
Thank you very much, Petie, thank you
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