Health Minister Chris Picton ‘shocked, disappointed’ by WCH private patient plan

The angry Health Minister has blasted WCH managers over a plan that effectively bars some obstetricians from performing private patient deliveries.

A furious Health Minister Chris Picton has bawled out senior management of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital and intervened to stop a plan to bar some private obstetricians from delivering the babies of their private patients at the hospital.

The plan, originally due to start from Saturday, would have meant such women could only go to the WCH as public patients, or if they used a WCH-employed obstetrician if they went as a private patient.

The Minister says he is “shocked and disappointed” after being blindsided by the plan — he was only briefed on it yesterday as media inquiries started.

Health Minister Chris Picton. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Brenton Edwards

“The plan was “not raised with me as minister, not raised with the chief executive of the (Health) department, not even raised with the chair of the board of the hospital,” Mr Picton said. “On learning of this issue, I expressed how disappointed I am to the chief executive of the Women’s and Children’s Hospital. I’m disappointed, frankly, pretty shocked this was able to happen.

“And I’ve really expressed my concern and my disappointment to the chief executive of the hospital. I’m pretty staggered as to how this happened and the lack of consultation.”

WCH officials earlier said the plan had been put on hold for three months, but Mr Picton ordered it be shelved for at least 12 months.

The fiasco follows a review recommending private obstetricians stop using the WCH to deliver babies of their private patients, which would have affected about 20 obstetricians.

A longstanding agreement had allowed obstetricians not employed by the hospital to admit private patients and be the primary consultant for their care.

Since 2018, these consultants have been on casual contracts allowing them to admit their private patients and be the primary consultant for their care, with requirements to complete relevant training and credentialling.

Women’s and Children’s Health Network CEO Lindsey Gough. Picture: AAP/ Keryn Stevens

In a statement to The Advertiser an hour prior to Mr Picton’s intervention, Women’s and Children’s Health Network chief executive Lindsey Gough said: “The WCH reviewed the current model of how private senior medical consultants are contracted on a casual basis when providing care to private patients at our site and proposed a change to this current arrangement.

“This would mean that any private patients planning to give birth or requiring admission at WCH would have the option of either being admitted as a public patient, or alternatively as a private patient with a WCH employed obstetrician as their primary consultant.”

Mr Picton said he could not defend the hospital’s action.

“I am frustrated and concerned and expressed that to the hospital,” he said.

Opposition health spokeswoman Ashton Hurn said: “If Chris Picton is so ‘shocked and disappointed’ why has he left the door open for this policy to be implemented in 12 months’ time?

“Instead of kicking the can down the road, the Malinauskas Labor government can and must provide clarity for all expecting mothers.”

Women's and Children's Hospital. Picture: Matt Loxton.

The WCH debacle comes as Whyalla Hospital temporarily halts births due to a shortage of midwives, with pregnant women being advised to fine alternative arrangements such as at Port Augusta Hospital.

Flinders and Upper North Local Health Network chief executive Craig Packard blamed the problem on a critical shortage of qualified staff.

“We are currently working on recruiting qualified staff with the aim of reinstating birthing services as soon as possible.

The Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation SA branch has repeated calls for incentives to attract and retain nurses and midwives to regional and rural areas with a warning more services will close unless action is taken.