Gunnedah Hospital reassures pregnant women birthing services still available despite loss of permanent position

On Monday, it was revealed expectant mothers have been told one of the professionals required to be present during births will be unavailable in Gunnedah later this year, as he prepares to move from town, meaning mothers could be unable to deliver their babies at the hospital during gaps in roster cover.

One of the hospital's permanent GP anaesthetists has signalled he is leaving, meaning one less specialist is on hand to safely deliver babies, which could see mothers required to travel to Tamworth to birth in some instances.

A Hunter New England Health spokesperson confirmed the health district was working to fill the position, but recruiting was still under way.

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The spokesperson did not answer questions from the Leader, but in a statement said the district "assures pregnant women" they can continue to access the hospital.

"Gunnedah Hospital continues to have access to GP VMO (Visiting Medical Officers) anaesthetists. There are no plans to downgrade the current maternity services available at the hospital," the spokesperson said in a statement.

"While a GP VMO who is regularly engaged at Gunnedah Hospital has indicated they are re-locating, they have advised they will continue working at the hospital.

"In the instance where anaesthetic or obstetrics coverage is not available, Gunnedah Hospital is staffed with experienced midwives 24/7 who can assess and provide care to birthing women."

The health service said a full maternity and birthing unit would be built in the new $53 million hospital redevelopment, but acknowledged it is hamstrung like all hospitals in trying to recruit locums to fill shortages.

The health service has acknowledged there are gaps in medical coverage that are out of management's control, and securing obstetricians to cover on-call rosters is a state-wide and national problem, not just something the health district faced alone. And something that has been made harder after the COVID-19 pandemic and associated workforce shortages.

The district is urging local women to present to their closest hospital to give birth.

"Any women requiring a higher level of care will be transferred to the most appropriate facility, as is the case normally," the HNEH spokesperson said.

"The district is actively recruiting for a GP obstetrician role in Gunnedah, and is advertising to expand its roster of GP VMOs to further support the obstetrics and gynaecology service."

In some instances previous, when specialist obstetricians and medical professionals are away or off sick from Gunnedah Hospital, Gunnedah mothers have been transferred to Tamworth to give birth - a one-hour trip via ambulance or car.

Gunnedah - which often has mothers birth from not only the town but also Mullaley, Tambar Springs, Boggabri and Coonabarabran - sees about 160 babies born every year, according to HNEH.

The Gunnedah PRAMS group - Gunnedah Paediatric and Maternity Support - which has been involved in the planning for the new hospital said any service cut "was obviously concerning for our community" but their "focus is making sure that we have good services here in Gunnedah".

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