"Closing Pambula's Busy Maternity Unit And Forcing Experienced Doctors Off The Roster…is That Really The Safest Option?" Rural Doctors Ask NSW

Main Category: Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 24 Sep 2009 - 20:00 PST

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Rural doctors have "rejected outright" claims by a NSW Health employee on ABC TV's 7.30 Report that closing the maternity unit at Pambula Hospital on the NSW Far South Coast has led to a safer model of obstetric care for mothers and babies in the entire Bega Valley Shire.

"On Monday's program, Dr Joe McGirr from the Greater Southern Area Health Service repeatedly indicated that centralising maternity services at Bega Hospital was the best option to ensure the safety of mothers and babies in the Bega Valley Shire" RDAA President, Dr Nola Maxfield, said.

"This is despite the fact that closure of Pambula Hospital's maternity unit has left the southern part of Bega Valley Shire without a local maternity unit and dramatically increased the patient load on Bega Hospital.

"It is also despite the fact that closure of Pambula's maternity unit has forced 4 of the region's 6 local GP obstetricians from the Shire's obstetric roster, due to the logistical difficulties in them attending deliveries at Bega Hospital from their bases at Pambula and Merimbula (an hour's round trip away).

"And it is despite the fact that while there were once two busy maternity units in the Bega Valley Shire, now there is just one-but there has been no subsequent increase in the number of maternity beds at Bega Hospital and a significant decrease in the number of local obstetricians now participating in the Shire's obstetrics roster.

"How can halving the Shire's maternity units, reducing by two-thirds the available local GP obstetricians, and relying on a locum roster at a cost per locum of more than $2500 per day really lead to a safer model of maternity care for the mothers and babies of the Bega Valley Shire?

"And what is the best option-a locum who is in town for a couple of weeks and only sees you on the night you deliver, or your local GP obstetrician who has cared for you throughout your pregnancy?

"It is high time the maternity unit at Pambula Hospital is re-opened, to enable all of Bega Valley Shire's local GP obstetricians to again provide local women and babies with the high quality, safe obstetric care-and continuity of care-they deserve."

RDA NSW President, Dr Ian Kamerman, said the safety record of small rural maternity units had been endorsed by studies in recent years, with one showing that-for low-risk women-smaller maternity units are actually safer places to give birth than larger units.

"Given the critical medical workforce shortages we have in rural Australia, it beggars belief that NSW Health would choose to deprive a significant part of the NSW South Coast from safe local obstetric care. Once these doctors become deskilled it may mean their vital skills are lost to the Australian community forever.

"RDA NSW once again invites the new NSW Minister for Health, Ms Carmel Tebbutt, to see for herself the care that is provided safely at any one of the remaining small maternity units in rural NSW.

"It is also imperative that, while-ever Bega Hospital has to rely on locums to try to meet the increased demand being placed on its maternity unit, those locums must have proper Australian credentials or experience and be fully endorsed by the appropriate Australian medical colleges."

Source
Rural Doctors Association of Australia