A top scrutineer has urged the Health Minister to clarify what steps are being taken to ensure the choice to have a home birth is “protected and promoted” in Jersey.
Health Scrutiny Panel chair Louise Doublet wrote to Deputy Tom Binet following a meeting last week in which the Minister said there was “no absolute guarantee” the home birth service will be reinstated – and acknowledged the possibility that it could become a paid-for amenity.
It comes after the island’s home birth service was suspended in October to carry out an internal review of protocols, staff training, and resources.
Deputy Doublet has now written to the Health Minister to “seek clarification” on a “number of points regarding the home birth service”.
She explained that, during last week’s hearing, it was mentioned that the home birth service has not been fully operational for many years.
“Could you please clarify what is meant by ‘fully operational’ and when was the last time the service was considered to be fully operational?” she asked.
Deputy Doublet also requested the Health Minister outline the “comparative costs” of different birth options – including an elective caesarean section, an emergency caesarean section, a home birth, and a hospital birth.
She also asked why the “current position appears to be that the Maternity Unit should be the default location for births when many women and healthcare professionals consider home birth a perfectly natural and safe choice for low-risk pregnancies”.
Pointing to the “positive outcomes associated with planned home births in low-risk scenarios”, the scrutineer asked Deputy Binet to provide “insight into the rationale behind this stance”.
@bailiwickexpress “I don’t want you to think that because I’m male…” 🤔 Jersey’s Health Minister responds to scrutiny over the suspended home birth service – insisting he *does* take concerns seriously in an unusual exchange in which he told the panel: “I know you’re very passionate, especially you two ladies…” 👀 He also suggested that if home births return, they could be a *paid-for* service. 💰🏠👶 What do you think? ⬇️ #jersey #channelislands #health #maternity ♬ original sound – bailiwickexpress
Deputy Doublet also asked if the Health Minister was aware of the “significant level of public interest in the availability of home birth services”.
“Many families believe that the option of home birth for those with low-risk pregnancies should be regarded as an essential part of maternity care,” she wrote.
“Could you clarify what steps are being taken to ensure that this choice is both protected and promoted within Jersey’s health system?”
You can read the letter in full here.
Deputy Binet is due to respond by Tuesday 18 March.
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