I too have found that what is stated as hospital policy is more often then not made up on the spot, to be used as part of the bulling and manipulation which is standard practice in this terrible system.

I would suggest asking the hospital for a copy of their Maternity Unit policy folder.

Write a letter to the unit manager, clearly outlining that you are requesting a copy of all policies in relation to maternity at their hospital - you don't need a reason, you are a consumer and this is a public service.

Keep it short and simple. Send it by registered post.

Give them exactly 14 days, if they do not send you a copy or they attempt to fob you off, write a letter to the regional health department, including your original request. Also send this by registered post.

The registered post lets them know that you are serious and keeping track of correspondence.

If you have no joy after these two steps, go to your local MP with all the correspondence and ask them to act on your behalf.

This issue really gets me, all hospitals should be forced to publish a complete set of stats and policies on their website, at the front counter and given to every person using their service.

Interestingly, Nicola Roxon thinks she can take away our access to homebirth servcies because she is going to make this system user friendly, in less then a year!

Right Nicola, you are going to get rid of the only form of women centre care in our whole country with the possibility of setting up models of care that will be system centred, within a system that isn't working now.

How are we meant to get quality care in the near future from services that can not even tell us the truth when we ask them, won't let the public know their policies and continue to allow bulling and manipulation to be standard ways of handling the provisions of maternity services.

I would be very interested to hear how your mission goes.

Good Luck!