AMA Qld President Maria Bolton says maternity care biased towards MGP models

The Australian Medical Association has called for the health minister to step in and overturn the “shortsighted decision of bureaucrats” to not allow private specialists to practice in public hospitals.

The Cairns and Hinterland Hospital and Health Service says it is yet to receive a formal proposal from a private obstetrician seeking access to deliver babies at the Cairns Hospital, amid calls Health Minister Shannon Fentiman to intervene.

The impending closure of the Cairns Private Hospital’s maternity services from November 1 has left expectant mums wanting to birth privately in Cairns without options.

The Cairns Post reported on Tuesday that private Far North obstetricians Dr Liz Jackson and Dr Anusha Lazzari had offered their services to the public sector in exchange for the ability to birth private patients at the Cairns or Atherton hospitals.

That offer appeared to have been firmly rebuffed, with CHHHS chief executive Leena Singh saying on Tuesday it was not the role of the health service to ensure private obstetricians could continue operating their business within public hospital infrastructure, adding all obstetricians were welcome to apply for positions at the health service.

CHHHS Chief Executive Leena Singh. Picture: Sandhya Ram

Responding to the report, Australian Medical Association Queensland president Maria Boulton said Ms Fentiman “must intervene to allow private specialists to practise in public hospitals to address workforce shortages in regional areas, particularly in maternity units”.

Ms Fentiman said she cannot intervene, and will meet with the AMA next week “to discuss this important issue”.

In a letter to the health service, department and minister, Dr Jackson and Dr Lazzari are seeking a return to an arrangement that would enable private patients to give birth at public hospitals, which was last in place in 2017.

The closure of the Cairns Private Hospital’s maternity service from November 1 is due to difficulty recruiting obstetricians and paediatricians is consistent with a troubling trend statewide.

In the Far North, Weipa and Cooktown maternity services remain on bypass.

“Within the Tablelands, we know our local GPOs (general practice obstetricians) to be supportive of the offer of our assistance,” Dr Jackson said in the letter.

General, generic photo of Cairns Private Hospital on Upward Street. Picture: Brendan Radke

“In Atherton, if granted scope of practice, we could also act as a back up to the on call roster to assist with future roster shortages as well.”

AMA President Maria Boulton backed their request to return to a “historically successful system” and slammed CHHHS and Queensland Health for not approving it.

“It would have ensured continuity of care for pregnant women in the Cairns region, and would mean Queensland Health would not have to hire locums for its public hospitals,” she said.

“This is a shortsighted decision by local bureaucrats that must be overturned.

“Minister Fentiman must use her authority to ensure private specialists are no longer locked out of our public hospitals.”

Dr Bolton added that the current system was narrow and biased towards midwife-led models, which was not suited to the needs and preferences of all families.

CHHHS Chief Executive Leena Singh confirmed Dr Jackson’s discussions with a number of health executives regarding her request but said no formal proposal had been received.

“In considering whether any private service is delivered within the public hospital infrastructure, local factors are considered including the current model of care offered at that public facility and the wider impact on patient care,” Ms Singh said.

Photo of newly elected AMAQ President Maria Boulton. Picture: Supplied

“Obstetrics by its very nature can be unpredictable and requires other infrastructure such as operating theatre capacity and staffing resources beyond that of an obstetrician.

“My priority is to ensure our resources are firstly deployed to meet the needs of the public patients which include ensuring theatres are available for those who require elective surgery and have been waiting on a list for some time.”

Ms Singh said there was no issue accommodating an increased patient load as a result of Ramsay Health Care’s maternity services closure.

“The health service provides a range of successful birthing models which include midwife-led care assessed as low-risk births in Midwifery Group Practice (MGP), she said.

“These models have ensured the safe birthing for our community and expanding access to models such as the MGP is our priority.”

Ms Fentiman said decisions on allowing private obstetricians into public hospitals could not be made by her alone.

“They need to be in consultation with the frontline public health workers and the Hospital and Health Services,” she said.

Originally published as AMA Qld President Maria Bolton says maternity care biased towards MGP models