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Effectively, no one in the AMA (WA), including a host of doctors at immediately affected sites, had any idea about the news the Premier and Health Minister were about to tell Western Australians at a media conference on Tuesday, 11 April.

In the absence of any background information, and with the barest of details, I struck a conciliatory tone. While welcoming a firm commitment to opening the long-awaited hospital as soon as possible, I made it clear of our expectation that the project had been informed by engagement, and that we would have meaningful input going forward.

“It is critical that any decision of this nature is informed by stakeholder engagement, such as the healthcare professionals who provide these vital services,” my statement read.

“We trust that the McGowan Government has engaged thoroughly to ensure that the accessibility and capacity of the new facility is adequate not only when it opens but into the future.

“The AMA (WA) looks forward to reviewing the details and working collaboratively with the McGowan Government to ensure these vital services are optimally and safely provided.

“We will lobby them to ensure there is a cost-effective method of expansion of the new facility to future-proof the development.

“Given the large and frequent number of maternity bypasses that reflect inadequate capacity in the system, we expect the current services to remain well funded and expanded for the growing demand in the interim.”

In the Government media statement, Health Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson made a virtue of consultation with those most directly affected.

“I am committed to getting this project right for women in WA and we will continue to consult with women to make sure we have the very best women centred health care and facilities,” she said.

It’s a strange attitude to cut out the profession that will actually deliver the health services that will facilitate the very best healthcare that the WA population enjoys.

As the week progressed, the feedback from members intensified and it was clear there were some real concerns about the actual service delivery possible with a hospital outside the vicinity of the additional care available through the specialist services at Perth Children’s Hospital.

With an AMA Council meeting scheduled for Monday this week, we took the opportunity to invite the Health Minister to put her case to us. She was unavailable and instead North Metropolitan Health Service Chief Executive Dr Shirley Bowen attended.

Dr Bowen was gracious and listened patiently to the raft of concerns and answered questions as best she could. However, it is becoming clear that some of these concerns are unlikely to be addressed without some serious consultation and relatively drastic solutions.

I addressed this matter at a media conference on Thursday, at which I stated that “healthcare professionals were completely blindsided by the decision”.

“Neonatologists are concerned the care and lives of time-critical, severely sick newborns will be compromised by the increase in transfer times from 2 to 20 minutes as a consequence of the move,” he said.

“They also reject assertions by the McGowan Government that improved neonatal transfer services will address this issue, also advising that these services are already excellent.”

I couldn’t help but join a few dots.

“The reasons for the change provided by the McGowan Government thus far are not new and have been apparent for years including parking, infrastructure overload and the need to carry on business as usual. The only new reason is the speeding up of the build and completion date by 3-4 years to 2029, that serendipitously coincides with when the McGowan Government will be attempting a rarely awarded fourth term.”

I suggested that at some stage in the process, a clandestine group must have developed a business plan for the move to FSH, that was approved by Cabinet.

“The AMA (WA) calls on the McGowan Government to release the business plan for the move to QEII that was rejected, and the business plan for the move to FSH that was accepted. The process thus far has been opaque and is alienating healthcare professionals.

“Ultimately, this issue is about what is best for the people of Western Australia, and the ability to receive safe and quality healthcare delivery.

“The people of Western Australia deserve transparency on this important decision.

“Transparency will provide the reassurance that the future safe and quality healthcare of such an important part of our society is not being compromised based on political expediency.”

Surely our request is a reasonable one. This is not about the hurt feelings of doctors. It’s about providing the best service to any number of generations of Western Australians, whose very existence and the best start to life depends on the excellence of the service they receive from doctors and healthcare staff at the new Women and Babies Hospital. Let’s ensure the new hospital has the best start possible.