Regional health services
Ms BRITNELL (South-West Coast) (12:44): On Good Friday this year Madeline McConnell gave birth to a daughter, Wren Frances McConnell. Madeline and her husband Matt attended South West Healthcare at midday, and for 4 hours Madeline was under observation. At 4.00 pm Madeline was induced. Later that evening, she had a medical emergency and was taken to theatre—a pitch-black, closed theatre. Many people would be shocked to learn Warrnambool does not have 24-hour theatre access. Wren was born via an emergency C-section. She and the McConnells were then taken to the Royal Children’s Hospital in Melbourne. Eight days later, sadly and tragically, Wren passed away in her parents’ arms. The doctors, midwives and nurses did everything they could to ensure this did not happen. I know they would all be devastated, and this is not a reflection on their dedication or hard work.
The McConnells have told me that they are now haunted by a ‘What if?’. ‘What if we lived in Melbourne and had access to 24-hour theatres? Would things be different, and would Wren still be with us?’ The Premier and the Minister for Health in recent months have both publicly stated that regional Victorians deserve the same level of health care as those in metropolitan Melbourne, but this is not the reality. Rural and regional Victorians do not have the same access to health care as those in Melbourne, and the McConnells’ tragedy is a very real and very stark reminder of that fact.