Bairnsdale Regional Health Service (BRHS) has taken the unprecedented step of banning women from choosing who they have as a support person at their births. Women have also been threatened with not being permitted to give birth there if they do not see the hospital team midwives.

This is yet another step eroding choices for birthing women in the Bairnsdale community. Last year, BRHS CEO Therese Tierney denied the popular and award-winning My Midwife Program (MMP) was being closed, instead stating it was being "improved upon" (BRHS media release 12/1/15). The program was indeed ceased,  continuity by known midwife has been unsustainable in the new team model, and the option of caseload or midwife-led care has disappeared all together. Despite all their assurances to the contrary, the 'new' model has not proven equal to MMP, nor delivered what was promised.

In a shock move, midwife in private practice Angela Kellock has been banned from attending births as a support person at BRHS. Ms Kellock has not yet attended any births in her new professional capacity, making their decision seem even more questionable. Local GP obstetricians have also joined together to boycott Ms Kellocks business by refusing to provide referrals so women can claim Medicare rebates for care. Now women are being threatened with not being able to birth at a public hospital for any other reason than their choice of carer.

Women should get to choose who is the best professional to care for them in pregnancy, and who they wish to have at their births. Its called basic human rights.

BRHS need to overturn their ban and expand rather than restrict options for maternity care. 

The Government need to act to make collaboration between eligible midwives, doctors and hospitals an enforcable two-way street. They should make it mandatory for all hospitals to offer the best evidence based models of care for women, such as caseload and credentialing for midwives in private practice.