BIRTHING services – currently suspended – could cease permanently at Waikerie Hospital if efforts to recruit specialised staff fail.
In January, the Murray Pioneer reported that the Waikerie Hospital had suspended its birthing services until March, with five local women assisted to find alternative birthing locations.
However, due to an unplanned shortage of nursing and midwifery staff, the suspension has been extended, with no potential resuming date announced.
Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network (RMCLHN) CEO Wayne Champion said shared care antenatal and postnatal community services would continue to be available.
“Our number one priority in the provision of birthing services is always the health, safety and wellbeing of both mother and baby,” he said.
“We are continuing our efforts to recruit the specialised staff we need to provide safe birthing services at Waikerie Hospital.
“Until we can successfully complete this recruitment, birthing services will remain suspended.”
Waikerie and District Health Advisory Council (HAC) presiding member Justin Loffler said the suspension would have an end date – one way or another.
“It’s not an indefinite suspension, because indefinite kind of implies that it will keep going on forever,” he said.
“At this stage, there’s no timeline on the end of this recruitment process, but at some point in time, they’ll say ‘Well, we just can’t get someone, so therefore we have to stop’.
“This process cannot run forever.
“The other thing is, someone having a baby in the next two or three months is in a situation where they have to plan to be somewhere else.
“The longer that continues, the more plans are made for people to go elsewhere, the less service we have here, and there will be a point where it’s just not viable to restart the service anyway.
“But right now, there’s no timeline on the end of that recruitment process.”
The RMCLHN advised that women in labour presenting to the Waikerie Hospital may be transferred to alternative birthing sites.