If I wasn't so tired (Olivia was up every 2 hours lastr night, and up for the day at 6:30am, and I'm meant to be working night duty tonight - you think YOUR doctor is tired?) I'd post more. all I can say is:

Disgusted. Absolutely disgusted. I would be gently steering your client towards writing an extremely strongly worded letter of complain to the Chief Medical Officer of the hospital, CCed to both the Australian Medical Association and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology.

Complaining that, as a consultant, they needed to institute an intervention like that because they wanted to SLEEP? Absolutely appalling, some of the worst treatment I have ever heard of.

I'd also encourage your client to use some very specific language in their letter. Words like "emotional trauma". And, oh, I don't know, "litigation", or "lawsuit". Because what that consultant said to you is the height of irresponsiblity.