ACT Health has published a letter to Canberra families following media reports assuring them that the Centenary Hospital for Women and Children is a safe and modern facility that provides quality care to patients.
In the letter, ACT Health said the Hospital’s team of doctors, nurses and midwives delivered safe and effective birthing services in a compassionate and supportive way.
“Centenary consumer feedback is very positive, with the patient experience discharge survey from the past year showing that 93 per cent of our mothers were satisfied with the service they received,” it said.
“That’s why in coming months, the ACT Government will announce a plan to update the way maternity services are delivered in the ACT.”
It said this new approach would be Territory-wide, to better manage the demand between Calvary Public and Centenary Hospitals, so both facilities share the delivery of maternity services.
ACT Health said it wanted to encourage more women to choose Calvary, and the Government had allocated $2.6 million to a refurbishment of the maternity ward, expected to be completed in July.
“It is unfortunate that some claims regarding care at the Centenary Hospital have been misleading and it’s important that we set the record straight to the Canberra community.
“Although we acknowledge recruitment of midwives is an ongoing challenge, it is not true that we over-rostered to create the illusion of appropriate staffing levels during our recent accreditation process.”
It said it wanted to assure patients that faulty equipment was not used and that staff were highly trained; centenary was a modern facility and was maintained to a high standard.
“We also want to be clear that women and babies are not sent home until they are well,” ACT Health said.
“After being discharged, women receive midwifery support through the Midcall Domiciliary Midwifery Program and our Maternal and Child Health services to ensure newborns are developing as expected,” it said.
