Move to cut back child health services slammed, Angst over tightening of restrictions for RHH

Community sector organisations are ‘disappointed’ they weren’t given fair warning of a state government-run child health service’s decision to scale back its operations amid a surge in Covid cases.

The boss of Playgroup Tasmania says it is “really disappointing” that the state’s Health Department didn’t convey to the community sector that it intended to scale back a crucial support service for parents and young families in the face of rising Covid case numbers.

On January 10, the department announced via Facebook that it would be “reducing client service delivery” across the Child Health and Parenting Service (CHaPS) until Friday, February 4, so as to free up additional nurses to assist with Tasmania’s Covid response.

This resulted in the cancellation of most appointments for children over 6 months old to prioritise younger infants and their families.

“Thank you for your understanding and patience while the CHaPS service supports the broader health service and Tasmanian community during this time period,” the post on the Health Department’s Facebook page read.

CHaPS provides free health and development assessments for all children aged 0-5.

Playgroup Tasmania boss Jacinda Armstrong said while the organisation fully understood the pressing need to redeploy resources within the health system, it would have appreciated the department communicating “appropriate referral points” to CHaPS clients.

“There are services like our own that can provide support to families, particularly around the emotional wellbeing of parents, and offer peer support programs and services,” she said.

“We found out about the reduction in services at the same time as everybody else … So there was no communication to other organisations who could look to plug some of those gaps that might come up due to the reduction of the services.

“(It’s) really disappointing.”

A mum who contacted the Mercury said CHaPS was the only free service of its kind available to parents.

“I’m not fazed by it but I imagine some first-time parents would be, especially if they’ve got sickly babies,” she said. “They’ll have to pay to go to the GP instead.”

Emily Shepherd, ANMF branch secretary. Picture: Mireille Merlet

Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation Tasmanian branch secretary Emily Shepherd said CHaPS services were “integral” in supporting new parents, babies, and families.

“It is incredibly disappointing to see these services decreased,” she said.

Ms Shepherd said the ANMF wanted the state government to call up nurses on the sub-register, as well as recently retired nurses, to lend a hand across the health service, including in CHaPS.

Families can still access support and information via the The Tasmanian Parent Line which operates 24 hours a day on 1300 808 178.

Parents can also contact the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Line from 7am until midnight on 1800 882 436.

Crucial Child Health and Parenting Service cancels appointments

Crucial Child Health and Parenting Service cancels appointments

As case numbers continue to rise, the Child Health and Parenting Service, which provides free child health and development assessments for kids under five, is scaling back its service.

For four weeks, most appointments for children six months and older will be cancelled, to allow more nursing staff to assist with the health response.

“The service will continue to offer the opportunity for new parents to participate in an online new parent group and focused breast feeding and perinatal mental health services as required,” the department announced on its Facebook page.

The service will be reduced for four weeks from the 10th of January until February 4.

Young infants and their families will still be able to be assessed.

“Service delivery will be available via either face to face or Telehealth options during this time as clinically appropriate,” the department said.

Families can still access support and information via the The Tasmanian Parent Line which operates 24 hours a day on 1300 808 178.

Parents can also contact the Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Line from 7am until midnight on 1800 882 436.

Parents’ angst over RHH neonatal restrictions

PARENTS of babies being treated in the Royal Hobart Hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit have been told that only one of them can see their baby at a time due to skyrocketing Covid cases in the state’s South.

Peter Lucas, of Snug, said his daughter gave premature birth to twins recently and only one had survived.

While he said the surviving child was being cared for in the neonatal ICU and was “doing well”, Dr Lucas lamented the fact that new restrictions had been brought in on the ward, preventing both parents from seeing their baby at the same time.

A retired senior lecturer in paramedicine at the University of Tasmania, Dr Lucas said he was thankful his daughter and her partner had been given an exemption from the new rules and were permitted to visit the ward together, but he said he feared others may not enjoy the same privilege.

“The moving feast of Covid restrictions is beyond ludicrous,” he said.

“The impact [of this decision] on fathers is awful and reinforces a binary mother-father role inappropriate for contemporary evidence-based medicine and the overall health and wellbeing of the child.

“In a [neonatal ICU] setting … mutual support is essential.”

The Royal Hobart Hospital’s neonatal unit has introduced parental visiting restrictions. Picture: Eddie Safarik

In a letter to parents of babies on the ward, seen by the Mercury, Neonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care Unit nurse unit manager Julie Doran said that, as of January 5, visiting would be restricted to one parent at a time but that 24-hour access remained in place.

“Due to the escalating nature of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have had to refine our visiting policy even further,” she wrote.

“To ensure everybody’s safety, we are asking for your co-operation and support in accepting our current visiting situation.

“We are aware that these are difficult and stressful times and we are trying our best to accommodate families being together.”

A Tasmanian Health Service spokesman said that under the RHH’s Covid-19 escalation plans, areas of the hospital had visitor limitations in place to reduce the risk the virus posed to patients and staff “particularly in areas where patients may be extremely vulnerable to infection”.

“While these restrictions are in force, the RHH understands that there are circumstances where visitor exemptions may be issued, particularly on compassionate grounds, and these are granted as appropriate,” the spokesman said.

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‘Scary time’: Hobart mums lose prenatal classes

EXPECTING mums have been left in cold after prenatal and breastfeeding classes at the Royal Hobart Hospital were cancelled due to Covid, with partners also now unable to attend appointments.

Expecting mum Britt Aylen is 30 weeks along in her pregnancy and was informed of the changes by a midwife at a routine antenatal appointment.

“She gave me a handout on breastfeeding and mentioned the antenatal and breastfeeding classes had been cancelled due to Covid,” Ms Aylen said.

“I’ve never given birth before, I’ve never breastfed before, these are new experiences for me.

“I was really looking forward to the classes, I thought they’d help me feel more prepared, and now I don’t feel I will be well-prepared when the time comes and I have to go to hospital.”

Expectant mother Britt Aylen said she was looking forward to antenatal classes before they were axed. Picture: supplied

Ms Aylen was also told her partner Glenn Patton would not be able to attend routine appointments for the final 10 weeks of her pregnancy.

“This is a really scary time,” Ms Aylen said.

“Having my partner with me is important to me, he’s a part of this journey too.

“It places a lot of responsibility on the mother when the birth partner is unable to be as involved leading up to the birth.

“They did say he can Facetime in or attend via video call.”

Mr Patton said he wanted to be there to support his partner.

“I can’t carry the baby, but I can be involved and help as much as I possibly can and that’s been taken away,” Mr Patton said.

He said he the classes would have helped both of them prepare for their new arrival.

“It was a full day of classes and a tour of the hospital,” Mr Patton said.

“I think especially one of the things I was worried about is what I need to do when she goes into labour.

“We’re hoping they run some classes online, that would be good, but nothing’s been arranged yet.”

Second-time mum Hayley Clutterbuck, who is also 30 weeks along, said although she didn’t enrol in classes this time around, they helped her prepare for her first child who was born during lockdown, nearly two years ago.

“They were great for helping my birth partner get education and ask questions,” Ms Clutterbuck said.

“It would be extremely difficult as a first-time mum not to have access.”

Hayley Clutterbuck, with daughter Harriet, is 30 weeks pregnant and concerned at the impact covid may have on the health system by the time she gives birth. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

She said even though it was her second time, there was still a lot of uncertainty.

“Being an expectant mum during the Covid pandemic is stressful,” Ms Clutterbuck said.

“Part of the stress comes directly from wildly changing regulations and not knowing if you’ll be able to access services.

“I asked the midwives about what the regulations were and she didn’t know because they were getting changed and she had to tell me they could be completely different when I came in for labour.”

Acting chief executive of hospitals south and southern regional health commander Dr Stephen Ayre said the Royal Hobart Hospital was reviewing some services due to Covid’s effect on staffing.

“Childbirth and breastfeeding classes have been scaled back as part of this review but continue to be available online,” Dr Ayre said.

“This arrangement, which allows the RHH and its staff to ensure core functions are maintained, is expected to remain in place while the RHH is at escalation level 3.

“As part of these arrangements, the RHH is limiting the attendance of partners at antenatal classes, although there are exemptions in place for compassionate reasons.

“Partners are still encouraged to attend births.”