Inquiry into perinatal services

Received from the Legislative Council on 16 September 2015:

That this house, pursuant to section 33 of the Parliamentary Committees Act 2003, requires the Family and Community Development Committee to inquire into, consider and report no later than 30 June 2016* on the current situation relating to the health, care and wellbeing of mothers and babies in Victoria during the perinatal period, including —

1. the availability, quality and safety of health services delivering services to women and their babies during the perinatal period;
2. the impact that the loss of commonwealth funding (in particular, the National Perinatal Depression Initiative) will have on Victorian hospitals and medical facilities as well as on the health and wellbeing of Victorian families;
3. the adequacy of the number, location, distribution, quality and safety of health services capable of dealing with high-risk and premature births in Victoria;
4. the quality, safety and effectiveness of current methods to reduce the incidence of maternal and infant mortality and premature births;
5. access to and provision of an appropriately qualified workforce, including midwives, paediatricians, obstetricians, general practitioners, anaesthetists, maternal and child health nurses, mental health practitioners and lactation consultants across Victoria;
6. disparity in outcomes between rural and regional and metropolitan locations; and
7. identification of best practice.

*The reporting date was extended to 8 December 2017 by resolution of the Legislative Council on 12 April 2016. The reporting date was further extended to 31 March 2018 by resolution of the Legislative Council on 6 September 2017. The reporting date was further extended to 20 June 2018 by resolution of the Legislative Council on 20 February 2018.