Mackay Base Hospital - Queensland Centre for Mothers & Babies

Part G: Quality of Labour and Birth RoomsGood quality labour and birth rooms ensure that women’s privacy and dignity are protected and provide a clean, hygienic andcomfortable environment for birth.We have reported on two indicators of the quality of the labour and birth rooms.Indicator 21: Was the cleanliness of the labour and birth rooms adequate?Women have a right to receive care in an environment that adheres to high standards of cleanliness and hygiene, to assist inproviding the best outcomes in terms of their health, safety and personal comfort.Indicator 22: Was the privacy of the labour and birth rooms adequate?The right to privacy and confidentiality is one of the core components of the Australian Charter of Healthcare Rights (ACSQHC;2009). Women have a right to confidentiality in relation to their medical records and health conditions. Therefore, care providershave a responsibility to maintain this confidentiality at all times. During labour, birth and after birth, care providers also have aresponsibility to respect women’s privacy within the environment where care is provided. This includes asking for permissionbefore entering a woman’s room or touching her, providing women with appropriate shielding during examinations orprocedures, and providing detailed explanations of potentially invasive procedures prior to women providing consent.38