The RWH FBC (Vic) Needs Our Help!

[DoulaFelicity]

I am writing this post as an outraged woman, Mother, Doula, and birth activist, in regards to the impending closure of the Family Birth Centre of the Royal Women's Hospital in Melbourne (with the Hospital planning to "streamline" their birthing women into "low risk" and "high risk", all in the labour ward). I birthed my son under the care of a wonderful, unobtrusive, supportive midwife in the FBC, and enjoyed an intervention free triumphant labour (I'm one of the fortunate 5% of women who birth in Hospital without intervention).

Whilst a Hospital Birth Centre is still intrinsically a Hospital environment, and there are some similarities between the FBC and the labour ward, the differences are vast, and it is those differences that set apart the FBC from the labour ward and necessitate its ongoing existence. It is what the FBC represents, and what it is a stepping stone towards (in terms of societal acceptance of normal birth and midwifery care based in evidence) that matters - and that is damaged severely by this closure. The statistics, research and evidence overwhelmingly support Birth Centre care for normal ("low risk" ) pregnancy and birth; yet this highly popular, healthy and successful option is now being removed from women's reach, due to factors that allegedly include "cost ineffectiveness" (which has got to lead to serious concerns in respect to ethical conflict of interest; when a low intervention facility is closed because the Hospital is not making enough money from it, does this mean the Hospital makes more money from intervening in birth? A logical conclusion can only be yes, that is exactly what this closure means. And what does this mean for the health and wellbeing of those women and babies who are receiving these profitable, but medically unnecessary, interventions?).

Having personally spoken to a midwife who was involved in the grassroots movement in 1979 which resulted in the establishment of this very popular and successful Birth Centre (after much blood, sweat, and tears), the first of its kind in Melbourne, the true horror and deep loss that its closure would signify is apparent to me. What a gigantic leap backwards in Maternity services!

Every well informed birthing woman and birth professional will feel the brunt of this blow to woman centered care.

The planned closure of the FBC is a travesty against informed choice and birthing options for women. Birthing women, above all else, want choice in their models of care. They want (and deserve) access to a diverse range of care during their pregnancy and birth. Evidence supports Birth Centre care as being the better, safer choice for "low risk" pregnancy and birth. How, then, can removing this option from the greater public arena possibly be justified?

It is essential that the Family Birth Centre at the Royal Women's Hospital Victoria remain open, functional, and accessible to the wide range of birthing women who have benefited in the past from it and those who stand to benefit from it in the future.

You can write to:

The RWH Foundation Executive Director, Wendy Brooks: wendy.brooks@rwh.org.au

The Labour Health Minister, Bronwyn Pike: bronwyn.pike@parliament.vic.gov.au

The Liberal Health Minister, David Davis: libs@vic.liberal.org.au

The Age: newsdesk@theage.com.au

The Herald Sun: Newsdesk: news@heraldsun.com.au Letters to Ed: hsletters@heraldsun.com.au

Edited to correct a contact for correspondence.

[stellaj]

Ok doulafelicity i have some work to do for tonight in writing to the ppl you suggested! 100% support what you are doing.

[DoulaFelicity]

Wonderful! Thankyou - your voice will be heard and your support is appreciated. :)

I'll email you our petition, too.

Anyone else?

[BIANCA-mummy of 2]

Hi there doulafelicity, WOW cannot believe it I use to live in Melbourne and I chose to have my 1st son at he FBC ( with no interventions) I was lucky to had a smooth labour, the midwives were gr8 and the centre had a homey feel about it. I have moved to brisbane now and had my 2nd son up here it was so different to the FBC its like when you are there all the midwives treat you like family and are really caring,nurturing, understanding and real. I also liked the fact that hubby could stay in the suite with me and OUR new bubs and we could share the euphoric moment of watching him sleep together. It will be such a shame if they close it down :( Hope you get lots of support with your argument and keep it happening you go girl I will be cheering for you!! ;)

[DoulaFelicity]

Thanks Bianca. :)

Any chance you could write your experiences and thoughts to some (if not all) of the contacts I listed?

Edited to include website links to petitions:

http://new.petitiononline.com/FBC2005/petition.html (RWH)
http://new.petitiononline.com/FBCBP05/petition.html (Government)

[saqqara]

The FBC isn’t closing – they’re just moving it over to the new RWH when it’s completed in 2008. In fact, they are modelling the entire new hospital around the old FBC model of care, so the facilities are available to MORE women!

http://www.rwhp.com.au/CommunityNews


Each of our birthing rooms will be equipped with large beds, ensuites and baths and many of the little touches that we know are important.

This ensures a family-friendly birthing experience will be a reality for more women choosing to have their baby at The new Women's.

Women will also have choice in terms of options for care, continuity of care and carer and control over the decision-making process.

In our new hospital, all of The Women's birthing rooms will be equipped to care for women who are experiencing a low risk birth and those requiring more complex care.

This means that if complications arise, we can immediately provide the additional care required without women being transferred out of their birthing environment.

This will further enhance The Women's women-centred approach to care and provides for greater flexibility for women and their famillies.

All of the equipment required for the provision of more complex care during labour will be housed discreetly in closed cabinets within the birthing suites and will not be visible unless it is being used.

In the new hospital, each of the birthing rooms will be able to accommodate women and their families in a home-like environment with modern and state-of-the-art facilities.

Feedback from our design consultation process with women indicates these facilities will better meet their needs and those of their families into the future.


Some of the new features include

Women-centred, respecting diversity, balancing patient care, research and teaching
Design strongly focused on being woman friendly, with a home like environment, a non institutional look and feel, and family friendly
Maintenance of a culturally sensitive approach:
The Women's treats women from over 165 countries, with over 42 different faiths
A multifaith Sacred Space and garden is planned in conjunction with Melbourne Health
The design acknowledges the cultural diversity of the women attending the hospital - various cultural issues such as Feng Shui and positioning of beds and bathrooms for Muslim women have been taken into consideration
Language Services, FARREP and AWHBU are located adjacent to the main reception desk for easy access
NICU cot design will foster ‘baby’s first’ bedroom with more space for families, a cupboard for family belongings, extra shelves for photos and teddies
The family birth centre model of care has been extended to all women with low risk pregnancies
There is recognition that seamless care is not necessarily about a physical location; it’s about systems and coordination to ensure continuity of care
Beds are positioned in relation to doorways, curtains and acoustic finishes to provide privacy
50% of rooms are single rooms, the rest are double
Waiting areas and patient lounges are small and intimate, rather than large open areas, with specific children’s play areas
There is a terrace garden or ‘Healing Garden’ on the maternity and neonatal floor for patients, visitors and staff to go outside
Inpatient and ambulatory care are separated to provide a quieter and private environment for inpatients and easier navigation for women using outpatients
An acute assessment centre will address women specific issues
A central location, accessible by public transport and convenient for patients and their families

[DoulaFelicity]

Nope, it's closing. When the move to the new RWH site is complete in 2008, there will no longer exist a FBC. Instead, all women will be streamed into "low risk" and "high risk" within the new L&D and postnatal wards. It's true that there are some planned improvements to the new L&D and postnatal wards. It's not true that those improvements make the entire L&D ward a Birth Centre.

[Imy]

I agree with Felicity, almalgamating the birth centre with general birth suites is the same as closing the birth centre. I had my daughter at the RWH birth centre last year but had to be transferred upstairs at the last minute for a vacum extraction. There is a feel about the birth centre that is sorely lacking in the general labor ward, even the staff achknowledge that birth centre midwives have a differnet view on childbirth to standard ward midwives. If you start trying to combine the two for the sake of what would appear to be "saving space" women will experience more drug based interventions when birthing. I had 12 hours of space and calmness at the birth centre with amazing staff and facilities which supported and assisted me even when I thought I couldn't go any longer with the pain.

I would also say that moving between floors at a critical time in the birth was not at all difficult nor distressing and I have never looked back and thought I wish the drugs were in the cupboard in my room. It does not appear, to me at least, that the RWH have consulted with patients who used the Birth centre when reaching this decision.