Women from across the Illawarra are sharing their stories of birth trauma at a public hearing in Wollongong, which will be the first personal accounts to be shared in from of the NSW Parliament Select Committee.
At an all-day hearing held at the Sage Hotel, there will be six individual women speaking to the panel of parliamentarians.
Two women from the long-running consumer advocacy group Better Birth Illawarra, Sharon Settecasse and Alyssa Booth with also appear, as will midwifery consultant Fiona Reid, who worked at Wollongong Hospital.
In the afternoon, Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District chief executive Margot Mains and the Executive Director Nursing Midwifery and Clinical Governance Maria Flynn will appear.
Read more of our coverage on the issue:
- Spotlight on Wollongong Hospital as thousands share birth trauma stories
- 'It felt like I never had an opportunity to say no, or yes, or much at all'
- Women's birth plans 'mocked' by staff, Wollongong midwife tells NSW inquiry
- NSW women give birth in 'a system designed by middle aged white men': inquiry
Do you have a story of birth trauma you'd like to share? Contact Mercury journalist Kate McIlwain kmcilwain@illawarramercury.com.au
Some of the Illawarra submissions - most of which have had the name of the person involved redacted - date back to the late 1990s, while others are from women who have given birth in recent months.
There have also been submissions made by midwives and other birth professionals who have worked in Wollongong Hospital.
We've made this story free for readers but we do rely on subscriptions to support our local journalists. You can sign up for $1 a week for 8 weeks here.
