Published Date: 07 March 2008
Post-natal care cuts revive old discredited plans
Recent controversy over new mothers being ejected from hospital with indecent haste after giving birth are a classic example of old discredited schemes being revived by cost-cutting corporate health management, according to the Democrats for Social Credit.
DSC Leader Stephnie de Ruyter and Health Spokesman David Tranter point to a 1993 SRHA (Southern Regional Health Authority) “Strategic Purchase Plan” which, under “Pregnancy and Childbirth”, proposed “Post natal care for high risk women only (6-8 hour discharge)” which was reckoned to give a nett saving of $1.8m
The political games played with health are illustrated by then Prime Minister Jim Bolger’s denial during the Selwyn by-election the following year when he described the plan as “out-dated and not going to happen”.
The recent tragic consequences of the rapid discharge of a first-time mother from Wellington Hospital not only spells out the cynical motivations of the management style introduced under National’s so-called health “reforms” and continued under Labour, it also shows that corporatised health management do not learn from past mistakes.
Around the same time as the SRHA plan was formulated there was an outcry in Otago over a scheme to encourage new mothers to leave hospital quickly by offering free nappies to those who did so. Recent Wellington plans to offer a similar inducement by giving supermarket vouchers show that little has changed in management attitudes since 1993.
“While accepting that some changes may be appropriate in maternity care through technological advances, we question changes which seem to be systematically reducing the availability of post-natal care in public hospitals for those who require it” said Ms de Ruyter.
“Quite simply, what has happened to the maternity system which once gave new mothers the right to 14 days hospital care for those wishing to have it and the present management agenda which seems determined on getting new mothers out of hospital in a one-size-fits-all production line approach? Where have the maternity beds gone?” asked Mr Tranter.
Given corporate health management’s apparent liking for old cost-cutting plans the SRHA’s 1993 further cost-cutting proposals including, “reduce ultrasound”, “no infertility services” and “palliative care only<1000g or 23 weeks” sounds warnings for the public health system as DHB budgets continue to go into the red.
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