Family members, including children, are being used as interpreters in Canberra's maternity wards because of apparent staff and skill shortages, the ACT's health services commissioner has revealed.
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Appearing before the ACT Assembly's maternity services inquiry on Tuesday, Karen Toohey said the situation, which had resulted in a number of complaints to her office, was "completely inappropriate".
The cross-party committee conducting the inquiry asked Ms Toohey about the issue, after she highlighted concerns about the "inconsistent use of interpreters" in maternity and other health services in her written submission.
"We have had a number of matters where women have presented, and family members have been used as an interpreter, which we both know is completely inappropriate irrespective of the circumstances," she told the committee.
Ms Toohey acknowledged that in emergency situations it might be difficult to easily arrange an interpreter, but said there had been instances where a trained professional could not be found for a scheduled appointment.
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She said video-calling app FaceTime was being used to connect women with Auslan interpreters, because of a lack of trained staff in Canberra.
"We have seen it in a couple of matters around emergencies where they are using family members to try and explain and clearly the information was not conveyed appropriately," she said.
"Or the family member elected not to convey all of the information because they did not want to frighten someone, but that then means the person isn't aware."
Ms Toohey, whose role sits within the ACT Human Rights Commission, said her office received about 600 complaints in the 2017-2018 financial year. She estimated about 20 of those related to maternity services, which was considered a very small proportion.
She said the ACT was "blessed" with excellent maternity staff, and was confident that most people's experience with the system was a positive one.
Health Minister Rachel Stephen-Smith echoed that sentiment in her evidence to the committee, saying that feedback about maternity services in public hospitals was "overwhelmingly positive."
But Ms Stephen-Smith said it was apparent, based on submissions and witness evidence to the inquiry, that this "was not everybody's experience".
"We acknowledge there is further work to do to ensure consistent access to the best care and support for women and families," she said.
"As Minister, I want Canberra women to know that I hear them."
Health official Dave Peffer told the committee that the number of births at Canberra Hospital had increased by 4.5 per cent annually in the past five years, putting pressure on the system.
Mr Peffer said the government had or was developing a number of initiatives to improve services, including its maternity access strategy.
Canberra Health Services chief executive Bernadette McDonald said staff levels had been increased in the birthing suite and post natal wards to cope with demand.
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
