Maternal and child health services
Trung LUU (Western Metropolitan) (17:49): (797) My matter is for the Minister for Health, and it concerns an issue affecting our healthcare system in Victoria – the tragic toll on newborns and mothers due to adverse events and errors in maternity care. The recent data revealed the distressing reality that 36 babies have lost their lives and 19 others have suffered harm, including disability. This demands our immediate attention and decisive action, so the action I seek is for the Minister for Health to conduct a review and provide the actions the government has taken to respond to these alarming statistics on maternal health. The figures obtained from Safer Care Victoria span both public and private healthcare facilities and highlight disturbing trends for infants between 2017 and 2022. The number rose to a record 12 cases, with six deaths, in the first half of 2022 alone. The heart of the matter lies in deteriorating patient conditions or a delay in staff recognising the severity of illness, being a significant factor in 24 cases. The figures indicate a troubling increase, surpassing the total cases in the previous year, raising serious concerns about the safety and quality of maternity care in our state.
We must seek answers and a concrete solution to address these critical issues. I call on the Minister for Health to outline the government’s plan of action to tackle the root cause of adverse events in maternal care. The consequences of inaction have been severe. Of the surviving babies, 11 experienced permanent or long-term function loss. We cannot ignore the urgent need to reform our maternity care system to prevent further tragedy. In conclusion, I implore the Minister for Health to provide transparency on the steps the government plans to take in response to these alarming statistics. A commitment to the wellbeing of Victorian families demands nothing less than a thoughtful plan to address the challenges facing maternal care. Let us not falter in our duty to protect the most vulnerable members of our society.