Hospital delivers babies closure blow
Melissa Meehan |
Pregnant women in Victoria’s second largest city are searching for a new hospital after one of the largest in the region announced plans to close its maternity service.
Epworth HealthCare made the “difficult announcement” on Monday to plan to close its Geelong’s maternity unit, citing issues with workforce shortages in nursing and midwifery.
Chief executive Lachlan Henderson said the hospital was consulting staff, unions and doctors about the closure.
“After consultation is complete, if a decision is made to close, the closure of our Epworth Geelong maternity service is anticipated to occur on 1 March 2023,” Dr Henderson said.
He confirmed the hospital would “pause” new maternity bookings.
In a letter to staff, the hospital said a predicted lack of “sufficient” paediatrician availability to service the hospital 24 hours a day, seven days a week was a reason for the closure.
Those affected by the proposed closure should expect to be contacted by the hospital or their obstetrician by Wednesday, the staff letter said.
It is believed the hospital helps deliver, on average, 40 to 60 births a month.
AAP has been told by hospital staff many workers have become increasingly frustrated about being rostered on at nights and weekends, because management found it easier to find agency nurses to fill day shifts.
National Association of Specialist Obstetricians and Gynaecologists president Gino Pecoraro said the announcement was frustrating.
“Whatever reason is given, the net effect is the same,” Dr Pecoraro told AAP on Tuesday.
“Private obstetrics is in danger of being wiped out and the flow-on effects will impact on everyone.
“Public units (will be) overwhelmed and if it follows what happened in Gladstone (Queensland), the public system will collapse as well.”
He said often public hospitals did not have the ability to suddenly take on another 50 patients a month.
“To think that isn’t going to create a crisis – you are badly mistaken,” he said.
Dr Pecoraro said the closure was another example of why the entire system needed a reboot, with particular focus on Medicare and private health insurance.
He met Assistant Health Minister Ged Kearney in Canberra last week to discuss his concerns as well as Senator Claire Chandler and Minister for Regional Development Kristy McBain.
The final decision on the Epworth Geelong maternity service, which opened in 2017, will be made by early next year.
Victorian Health Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said she had not been briefed on Epworth’s decision, but as a private hospital it would be solely its decision.
Premier Daniel Andrews said he was keen to discuss the issues.
Greater Geelong, Victoria’s second largest city, has a population of 274,647 and is forecast to grow to 393,216 by 2041.
AAP
