Ramsay Health Care cuts birthing service from November 1
A $5m government cash injection will help to bring extra beds online for expectant mothers impacted by the shutdown of all birthing services at the Cairns Private Hospital.
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Up to 40 women set to give birth will be forced to make other arrangements after the confirmed shut down of Cairns Private Hospital birthing services, announced by medical giant Ramsay Health Care in Cairns on Thursday.
Though the closure of the Upward St unit is not unexpected, Ramsay has also shut the door on women giving birth in the public system and transferring to Cairns Private Hospital to receive antenatal care.
The maternity service will close from November 1, 2023.
Expectant mothers, midwives, pediatricians and obstetricians fighting to save private birthing services have been left devastated.
Cairns Private Hospital chief executive officer Ben Tooth said his own children were born at the unit and the decision to close was extremely disappointing.
“It’s horrible, but we don't have the medical coverage so we have to do this,” he said.
“We understand this news will be really disappointing and even distressing to some patients. “We will be working closely with our obstetricians and expecting parents to ensure everyone is aware of where they should go and who will be caring for them when they go into labour.”
Mr Tooth confirmed up to 25 staff, including part time and casual positions will be impacted by the closure, however it’s understood other staff have already left amid job insecurity following long running uncertainty about the future of the unit.
It’s understood negotiations between private obstetricians about ongoing work within the public system have been ongoing for the past two months, however details are yet to be finalised.
Cairns Private claims to have been unable to recruit the obstetricians and paediatricians required to continue to safely operate the service.
On Thursday, Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service chief executive Leena Singh said the public hospital was “working through” determining how many staff were needed to accommodate the influx of patients but declined to say how many staff were needed.
Asked how the Cairns Hospital was going to attract staff amid a chronic shortage of obstetricians and pediatricians that forced the closure of Weipa and Cooktown birthing units, Ms Singh said there was not a “significant issue with recruitment” at Cairns Hospital.
“We will absolutely be looking for additional staff and we’ll work through a recruitment process,” she said.
Late on Thursday it was revealed an immediate $5m funding injection from the state government will be injected to provide an “uplift” in the number of beds available at the public hospital.
The government confirmed an agreement has been reached to allow Cairns Public Hospital to use available beds at Ramsay Health’s Private Hospital, which will allow Cairns Hospital greater capacity to free up services and improve patient flow.
“The women of Cairns and Far North Queensland can be absolutely confident that the closure of Ramsay’s maternity services in Cairns will not impact their ability to give birth locally,” Ms Fentiman said.
“The transition of services to Cairns Public Hospital will be done in a safe and orderly manner and ensure any disruption to local women is minimised.”
Plummeting births at Cairns Private that numbered 544 in 2015, dropped dramatically to 387 in 2021 and last year just 337 babies were delivered by the hospital.
The public hospital will absorb all additional births—though at 16 babies a month represents only a minor increase to the Cairns Hospital’s workload of 187 babies a month.
Ms Singh confirmed Cairns Hospital was preparing for an additional “250 to 300 births” per year.
Cairns private sector midwife Narelle Ashworth said it was disappointing for mums planning to deliver at Cairns Private.
“It’s very saddening for the women but we have to look to the positives, and there are positives, they have the special care nursery and emergency department,” she said.
“Our aim is to support the women we do have and feel women can have safe birth outcomes at the public hospital.”
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Originally published as Ramsay Health Care cuts birthing service from November 1
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